


Metaphorically, or Sometimes Actual Pants, Real Literal Pants

by bakanekofan



Category: Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz, Be More Chill - Iconis/Tracz (Two River Cast) RPF
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-24
Updated: 2018-12-06
Packaged: 2019-04-27 10:42:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 19,783
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14423679
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bakanekofan/pseuds/bakanekofan
Summary: In which Rich points out the obvious to Jeremy, the Squip returns, and Michael and Jeremy both need hugs.I couldn't come up with a title, tags, or summary. Feel free to suggest because I'm terrible at all of those things.





	1. Four Player Game

Although Jeremy hadn’t really taken notice, he had been so busy with Christine and school, he and Michael really hadn’t hung out at all in the two months following the play. Yeah, they still saw each other at school and sat together at lunch, but they didn’t just… hang out and play video games or get stoned in Michael’s basement anymore. He might not have noticed either if Rich hadn’t commented on it. “What’s going on with you and Michael?” He asked out of the blue one day.

“What do you mean?” Jeremy questioned, confused.

“You used to hang out with him all the time, you were always waiting by his Cruiser. Now you just always go straight home or to Christine’s.” Rich commented, and, thinking back, Jeremy realized he really had been neglecting his best friend.

“Shit, I hadn’t even noticed! I’ll talk to him at lunch. Thanks, Rich.” Jeremy said, waving his former bully off before heading into the cafeteria. Michael was sitting at their usual table, but he looked… fine? “Michael!” He called to draw his friend out of the music undoubtedly blaring in his headphones.

“Hey buddy! What’s up?” Michael asked, taking his headphones off.

Jeremy took his seat and said, “I was just thinking, it’s been awhile, you know? Maybe we should finally finish Apocalypse of the Damned?” Michael appeared conflicted at this and pulled his headphones back on. “Michael?”

“Sorry, Jer, I can’t.” Michael said dismissively.

“Wha… Why not?!” Jeremy demanded, snatching the headphones away from Michael.

Now Michael just looked downright guilty, “The ending is lame.”

“...Apocalypse of the Damned is two player.” Jeremy reminded.

“Yeah.” Michael said, “I guess I never mentioned, I’ve got a boyfriend now.”

Jeremy blinked. What the hell was going on?! “MICHAEL! How could you not tell me something like that?!”

“You were busy with Christine. But it’s cool! We’ll just both be busy with other people now.” It was Jeremy’s turn to look conflicted. “What? You can’t tell me you didn’t see this coming. It’s not like we’re not still going to be friends forever, just… Jeremy, stop that, you look like you’re gonna cry and it’s really making me feel shitty!”

Jeremy inhaled sharply, “I don’t understand…”

“Dude, you’re with Christine now, and it’s a two player world, not three. I can’t just be your third wheel forever, I gotta live my own life, too.” Michael explained, “It doesn’t mean I don’t want to still hang out with you. Hey, he’s coming over tonight. Why don’t you and Christine come over and you can meet him? He’s from a different school, we met in the back of Spencer’s when I was getting your Mountain Dew Red.”

The fact that Michael was still offering for him to hang out was some comfort, and Jeremy said, “I’ll ask her. I just… can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”

“I’m sorry, I was trying to avoid… this.” Michael gestured vaguely, “I knew it would upset you, and I didn’t want that, but I guess you had to find out about it eventually.”

“So… He likes expired soft drinks, too?” Jeremy asked in a miserable attempt at lightening the mood.

Michael broke out in a grin, “Yeah, dude! He’s awesome, you’re going to get along great, I promise! He likes all the same things we do-”

“So he’s a loser.”

“What did I tell you? Technology! Who cares if we’re losers, we’re advanced losers!” Michael teased, playfully punching Jeremy in the arm, “Besides, college is coming up faster than you know!”

“I think I’ve had enough technology for one lifetime.” Jeremy said with a distant look before returning his attention to Michael, “I’m going to go ask Christine if she wants to come. Meet by your car?”

“You know it!” Michael replied, pulling his headphones back on as Jeremy walked away.

Jeremy approached Christine’s table and she beamed up at him, “Jeremy! You never sit by me! What gives?”

“Michael got a boyfriend.” Jeremy said with a shrug, “He wants to know if you and I want to go to his place tonight and meet him.”

Christine was taken aback by this news, “Michael got a boyfriend and didn’t tell you about it?!”

“Yeah- which is weird, right? It’s not just me?”

“Totally weird!” Christine agreed, “Yeah, I’ll go with you, but… I’ve never been to his house before?”

“Oh! We’re meeting by his car, he’ll drive us.” Jeremy replied, and meet at Michael’s car they did. Jeremy say up front with Michael while Christine sat in back. It was soothing, being in Michael’s car, it smelled like pot and just…  _ Michael. _ It made Jeremy feel safe and secure, even though he wasn’t so sure how the night was going to play out and it was giving him major anxiety.

No sooner did they get settled in the basement with snacks and drinks did Michael get a text. “Oh! He’s here, I’ll be right back.”

As his friend ascended the stairs, Jeremy watched him closely, and Christine asked, “You okay, Jeremy?”

“Just… confused.” Jeremy replied, brushing the hand she had brought up to his shoulder away.

“It’ll be okay.” Christine assured him, and she looked like she wanted to say more, but Michael and another set of footsteps were coming down the stairs.

“Jeremy, Christine, meet Ian.” Michael introduced, pulling a scrawny but somehow confident looking kid up against his shoulder.

“Hey… Michael’s told me all about you. You’re pretty much all he ever talks about.” Ian said with a bit of a smirk.

“I do not! I also talk about documentaries!” Michael defended, and Christine couldn’t help laughing, though Jeremy seemed much less amused.

“Yeah, well, I didn’t even know you existed until today.” Jeremy said, coming off far more bitter than he meant to.

Michael sighed, “Jeremy-”

“No, no, it’s fine. Like you said earlier-”

“Jeremy-”

“It’s fine.” Jeremy turned his attention to the snacks while Ian whispered something in Michael’s ear.

Michael shoved his hands into the pockets of his sweater and edged closer to Christine and Jeremy, Ian in tow. “So you guys want to play Smash Brothers or something?” He suggested.

“I don’t know how to play…” Christine started.

“I don’t feel like it.” Jeremy finished.

Michael huffed, “Well I guess we’ll just sit here and all pretend to text other people because Jeremy can’t get over the fact that I have a life outside of him. Seriously, what is  _ wrong _ with you! You and Christine started first!”

“That’s different!” Jeremy defended, “And you KNEW about it!”

“It’s not different!” Michael paused, “Okay, maybe it is. It’s  _ worse _ because you had that stupid Squip that made you shun me for her!”

Jeremy got to his feet, “Don’t you even start about the Squip!”

“Why shouldn’t I? Yeah he was behind some of your actions, but not what happened at the Halloween party!” Michael turned away, visibly upset, and Ian immediately moved to comfort him.

“Maybe you should go.” Ian suggested to Jeremy.

“Maybe  _ you _ should go!” Jeremy snapped back.

“No, he’s right, Jeremy, we should go. Come on, my mom will be here in a few minutes to get us.” Christine said, taking his hand and pulling him upstairs and back outside.

Jeremy was fuming, but he didn’t resist Christine. Once outside, he asked, “Can you believe that?! I-he just…”

“I know,” Christine said softly, “I know it hurts, Jeremy, but you’ve got to admit, you hurt him pretty bad, too. Not all of that was the Squip, and you can’t take it back. Maybe it’s better for both of you if you just… move on?”

Jeremy looked positively scandalized, “Twelve years, Christine! We’ve been friends for twelve- almost thirteen years now, and he didn’t even tell me he had a boyfriend?! And who does that Ian guy think he is, anyway? He can’t just waltz in and take Michael away from me!”

Christine frowned, “Okay, now you’re just talking like you guys were actually boyfriends.”

“We’re not! We weren’t! It doesn’t matter!” Jeremy folded his arms over his chest.

“Okay, but stop to consider… He never got a choice in you and I being together. He might feel the same way about me.” Christine said, remaining calm in spite of her boyfriend’s fury.

Jeremy blinked, “That’s just crazy talk.”

“Is it?”

“Yeah! He knew I was into you, he never said anything about it!” Jeremy defended.

Christine shrugged and fell silent as her mother pulled into the driveway. They didn’t speak to one another for the entire trip, and, once home, Jeremy stormed past his father and up to his room. “Jeremy?” The man called after him, but no response. “Jeremy!” Still nothing. He went up to the door of Jeremy’s room and tried the handle, but of course it was locked. “Jeremy, what happened?”

“None of your business.” Jeremy shouted, muffled through the door and pillow he was screaming into.

“It is my business, you’re my son! What happened? You’re not going through that weird phase again, are you?” His father worried.

“Just leave me alone!” Jeremy demanded, and his father fell silent. He glanced over at the gaming console, the bean bags where he and Michael used to sit. Why hadn’t Michael said anything? Was this really about him and Christine? Was he really going to throw away their friendship, the one he had worked so hard to save just months ago? Why? And why was it all so hard to figure out? For the first time since the play, he found himself half-wishing his Squip was still around to tell him what the hell was going on with his best friend… But his mind was silent.


	2. We Fight, We Make Up

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Michael and Jeremy have an argument and promptly make up.

The following day at school, there was no Michael to be seen, and Rich, who had been gossiping with Jake, on seeing Jeremy, grabbed him by the arm, “Dude, what happened yesterday?”

“Nothing, why?” Jeremy asked.

“Michael texted me last night to say he was switching schools! Did he not tell you?” The news his Jeremy like a ton of bricks.

“He what?” Jeremy honestly didn’t believe it until Rich pulled out his phone to show him the text.

“I figured you’d have the details, he hasn’t been answering me.” Rich said, “I’m kinda worried about him. You went over there yesterday, right? How could he not tell you if you were there?”

“I… wasn’t there long.” Jeremy said with a shrug, turning away from Rich to face his locker. “The only reason he invited me was so I could meet his boyfriend, who I didn’t even know existed until yesterday.”

Rich stared at Jeremy in disbelief, “Michael has a boyfriend that’s NOT you?!” Jeremy shot him a look, “Sorry, sorry, force of habit, just- how could you not know?”

“He didn’t tell me! Anyway, we kinda got in World War Three last night over it, Christine made us leave, and I haven’t heard from him since.” Jeremy finished, “I don’t get it! How could we be together for so long and then all of the sudden he just… drops me for some guy he’s barely met?!”

“To be fair… you kinda did it first.” Rich said softly.

“Why is everyone saying that?! It was different with Christine! We knew her since we were little, and he’s always known I’ve had a huge crush on her.”

“She barely knew you were alive.” Rich said pointedly, “Look, I’m not trying to get in your business, but you really need to go apologize to Michael. If whatever you said last night has him so upset he’s going to change schools- I mean, you could never see him again.”

“I’m starting to think that might not be a bad thing.” Jeremy slammed his locker and turned to leave for class, but was faced with Rich, suddenly in his way. The guy had really picked up some annoying habits from the Squip.

Rich pushed Jeremy’s shoulder, and for a fraction of a second, Jeremy wondered if he was going back to his old ways, “If you really believed that, you wouldn’t have gone back to your Boyf backpack. I know you have a new one, you got a new one after you got Squipped.”

“I-I just like this one better! It holds all my stuff and-”

“You wouldn’t be struggling to come up with excuses, you wouldn’t have lost your temper last night.” Jeremy averted his gaze as Rich continued, “I’m really not trying to get in your business, I’m not! But if not for Michael, the entire student body would be Squipped. You know it, I know it, all of our friends know it. So before you completely throw away everything you had, take a step back, reassess. What got you so pissed off last night?”

The bell rang, but Rich wasn’t moving, and any time Jeremy tried to go around him, Rich wouldn’t let him pass. He sighed, “Everything.”

“Be more specific.”

“He didn’t tell me about it, and at lunch… At lunch he said something that threw me off.” Jeremy rubbed his arm awkwardly, “Something about how I had to see it coming, that we couldn’t stay as close as we were forever, that eventually, we’d need to move on with our lives.”

“A fair point.” Rich mused, “Did you not realize that?”

How had no teachers come to yell at them yet? They weren’t even hiding! “I-well… No…?”

“Sooo you just thought he was going to be you and Christine’s third wheel forever.” Rich supplied, “And he’s the one being unreasonable?”

That stung. “I don’t know! I just-he-I-”

“Breathe, Jeremy.” Rich suggested, bringing his hands up to Jeremy’s shoulders, something he’d seen Michael do when Jeremy was freaking out in the past. Jeremy flinched away from him, and he really couldn’t blame the guy. “Listen, the only way the two of you could have stayed as close as you are forever is if you actually were  _ together. _ Which is probably something he’d been hoping for, but gave up on when you finally got together with Christine.”

“W-wait, what?”

Rich raised a brow at him, “You really haven’t noticed? The way he goes out of his way just for you all the time, even when he knows you’re going to blow him off- the Halloween party, you think any friend would have done that? Would  _ you _ have done that for him?”

“Wait, how do you even know about-”

Rich touched the side of Jeremy’s head, “We’re connected, Jeremy. My Squip heard from yours after the party when I was in the hospital. He was using it to guiltrip me, it’s not important.”

“Why would that be a guiltrip?” Jeremy asked, utterly confused.

“You really don’t know, do you?” Rich asked, “Michael almost  _ died _ that night.”

“...What?”

“After you left, he wouldn’t come out of the bathroom no matter how many times people knocked, and then the fire started and he was trapped inside. The fire department got there just in time with their ladder. He was in the hospital for nerves from it- not that you would have noticed, optic nerve blocking and all.” Rich explained, and the more he spoke, the worse Jeremy felt. God, how could he do that to Michael? How could he- “Jeremy, stay with me here.” Jeremy hadn’t realized it, but he’d backed up against the lockers and slumped to the floor. “I’m just saying, he’s done so much for you, and maybe you don’t see it, but ask Christine. The way he looks at you isn’t the way you look at him. I mean, you guys got matching tattoos. You think normal friends do that? That’s what couples do, Jeremy. The only thing missing is his name on it.”

Jeremy averted his gaze, considering. Did Michael really…? “It doesn’t matter. He hates me now, anyway.”

“That boy is incapable of hating you.” Rich assured him, “He may be upset with you, but he doesn’t hate you. If he came back for you at the play, after everything you did? He couldn’t possibly hate you now.” Hearing someone coming, Rich said, “Go talk to him. There’s no way the papers are through for the transfer yet, he’s probably still at home. I’ll cover for you.”

Jeremy hesitated, but nodded, then darted out the doors. Walking all the way to Michael’s house was shit. He was left entirely alone with thoughts he’d never thought he’d have and by the time he got there he was absolutely frozen stiff. He rang the bell and stepped back just enough to see Michael peer through the blinds at him… but the door didn’t open. “Michael! Come on, I’m freezing! I know you’re there.”

“Leave me alone.” Came Michael’s voice, and he must have been just on the other side of the door, because Jeremy could hear him pretty clearly.

“Not again. Not ever again.” Jeremy protested, “You didn’t save me from my Squip so you could be left alone.” For a time, there was silence, but eventually, Jeremy heard a click, and on testing the door, found it to be open. He invited himself inside, but Michael was already walking away, “Michael-”

“I don’t want to talk to you, Jeremy. I… If you can’t even just be happy for me like I was for you and Christine, maybe we’re better off-”

“DO NOT!” Jeremy interjected with such force that Michael turned to face him, “Do not even say that. Besides- you... “ He squinted, “What happened to your face?”

Michael raised a hand to cover an obvious bruise that was forming, “Oh, that? I, uh… I was high and I tripped over one of the wires in my basement and fell on a controller.”

“And I might actually believe that if you weren’t always so meticulous about how you keep your nerd gear.” Jeremy huffed, moving to stand in front of Michael, pulling his hand away from his face to get a better look at the wound.

“It doesn’t matter.” Michael said, brushing him off, “It was my own fault.”

“It was  _ not _ your fault, Michael. You’re physically incapable of hurting anyone so badly they’d have a reason to hit you.” Jeremy argued.

“Why do you care? And why are you even here?” Michael asked, his back to Jeremy.

Jeremy sighed, “I needed to talk to you. I couldn’t leave things go the way I left them last night.”

“I don’t want to talk about last night.” Michael said, finally turning to face Jeremy with tears welled up in his eyes, “All you ever do since the Squip is hurt me, push me away, and I’m so tired of it. I’m so tired of being walked on and just- I’m done.”

The sight of Michael crying was not an entirely unfamiliar one. The cause? That was new, and it absolutely broke Jeremy’s heart. “Michael… I’m  _ sorry.” _

“Do you even know what you’re apologizing for?” Michael asked, his voice breaking.

“Everything.” Jeremy said, “For not listening to you, for shutting you out time after time, for not even realizing…” He stopped himself. He wasn’t sure he was ready to talk about that part yet.

“Realizing what?”

Too late now. “That I started this. I chose Christine over you, and even after you forgave me and saved me, I still chose her. For thinking that wouldn’t change anything. You weren’t happy I was with Christine, you were  _ jealous. _ ”

“Jeremiah Heere, I was not jea-”

“You totally were. You still are!” Jeremy cut in, not even bothering to correct Michael’s use of his full name, “I know… I know because I think that’s why I was so angry last night. Seeing you with him was like seeing you with a replacement of me. You said yourself he likes all the same things we do, and you finished Apocalypse of the Damned with him? You’re  _ my _ Player One.”

“I’m not sure what you’re getting at here, but I don’t want your pity-”

“It’s not pity! God, I’m such a freakin’ idiot! I don’t know how I could have not noticed before, I just- Michael, look at me.” He grabbed Michael’s face in his hands, smushing his cheeks together and forcing him to look him in the eye, “I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I don’t. After everything I’ve done, you have every right to hate me.”

Michael pushed Jeremy’s hands away, “I don’t hate you.”

“But you have every right to. I don’t deserve your forgiveness, and I don’t deserve your friendship. I don’t deserve you, Michael, but neither does he, and I’m too selfish to let you go. I.. I don’t even know what I’m trying to say right now.” Jeremy sighed, “I probably should have thought this through more before coming over here.”

Michael sighed, “You’re right, you hurt me. Countless times, but I forgive you. I’ll always forgive you. And however untrue it may be for you, you’ll always be my favorite person.”

“You are my favorite person.” Jeremy defended, though his tone was softer than before, “And I don’t know why I ever thought I could do better. There is no one better than you. There’s no one who could ever replace you.” An uncomfortable silence fell between them, “How long?”

“I don’t know what you’re-”

“Don’t play dumb with me. How long has it been?”

Michael sighed and flopped down on the couch, “You remember in eighth grade when I got the flu, and I was sooo sick, and you brought me a Frosty?”

“Yeah, that probably wasn’t such a good idea, you took one look at it and started throwing up again.” Jeremy recalled.

Michael smiled, “But I had been  _ really _ wanting a Frosty. It was like you read my mind, and I realized… No one would ever know me as well as you do, so no one would ever be able to care for me like you do.”

Thinking back on that time, Jeremy mused, “Come to think of it, right after you got better is when you told me you were gay, and I teased you saying ‘I thought you were supposed to be getting over the flu, not looking up which type of porn you prefer.’”

Michael laughed, “Yeah. Then you got me my patch.” He showed off the pride patch on his sweater, “But it wasn’t porn that made me realize it. It was you… I knew before then that I loved you more than anything, but I hadn’t really considered it might be in a more than friendly kind of way until then. So to answer your question… I don’t know when it started, but I first became aware of it then. If I’m being honest with myself, it was probably closer to when we were, what, six? And you told our parents you were going to marry me.”

“I did what?” Jeremy didn’t remember this at all.

“Yeah, dude! Some guy was picking on you at school, but I had your back, and when we got home that day, my mom brought me over to your house and you threw your arms around me and said, ‘There’s my Mikey! One day, when we grow up, I’m gonna marry you!’ And you kissed my cheek. Your mom totally freaked, I don’t know how you don’t remember that.” Michael said as Jeremy finally moved to sit down, helping himself to one of the throw blankets.

“I really don’t, but to be fair, my mom freaked a lot.” Jeremy pointed out, and Michael simply shrugged in response as Jeremy went on, “So… That’s the better part of a decade.”

“Yeah, I guess. I never said anything, though, because I didn’t want things to get weird. I was happy with just being your friend, and at the time, I, perhaps a bit naively, thought that we’d always be just as close as we were then, that nothing could come between us. This past year has proven that theory to be wrong on so many levels, so I thought maybe I could just… start over with someone who actually had romantic feelings for me.” Michael heaved a sigh, pulling his legs up into his chest, and Jeremy couldn’t ever remember a time his best friend looked so vulnerable, not even when he’d been sick.

Jeremy adjusted the blanket, fidgeting with the tassels on the end of it, “Michael… You’re my best friend, and the only thing that’s been constant in my life to date. You’re always there for me, whether I want you to be or not. I’ve treated you like absolute garbage, and- no, don’t argue, I did, and that wasn’t all the Squip. Everything about me is so terrible.”

“Jeremy-”

“No, it’s true, and I don’t deserve your forgiveness. I don’t even deserve to have you in my life. I’m not sure I deserve to be alive at all.”

“Miah-”

Jeremy got up, crossing the distance between them to kneel in front of Michael, “But I’m too selfish to just let you go. Please, Michael, just… give me a chance? You’re always proving to me that my trust in you isn’t misplaced, just for once… Let me return the favor.”

After a few moment’s pause, Michael said, “I don’t know what you’re asking.”

Jeremy hesitated, probably giving Michael the impression that he was unsure, but really, he was just worried that it wouldn’t end well. Where was the Squip with it’s probability for success now that he needed it? “I… I mean, if you’d… You know, if it’s even something you’d consider…” Jeremy bit his lip, but Michael didn’t pressure him to speak. He was always so good about knowing when to hold his tongue. What had he ever done to deserve Michael’s love? “I want… to be your Boyf.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Boyf. That is all. Also, yes, I am stealing the fandom nicknames of "Miah" and "Micha" because they're adorable, okay?


	3. I Was Gonna Say Getting Stoned in My Basement, But...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The boys have a totally platonic sleepover. No, I mean it, it's totally platonic. WHY DOESN'T ANYONE EVER BELIEVE ME?

 

Michael stared at him for a moment before shrinking back against the couch. At first, Jeremy wasn’t sure he got the reference, but when he opened his mouth to explain, Michael said, “You can’t. You’re with Christine, and I’m with Ian. It’s too late.”

“So I’ll break up with her!” Jeremy offered, getting to his feet, on the verge of hysterics.

“You can’t break up with her! She’s the only thing you’ve ever wanted!” Michael argued, “I don’t know where all this is coming from, but you can’t just throw everything away for me!”

“And why not?! Like you haven’t done it for me countless times!” Jeremy pointed out, and maybe if it were a rejection because Michael actually didn’t want him anymore, didn’t think he was worthy, he would have taken it better, but the ‘too late’ thing? That was just pushing him into a complete breakdown.

Michael sighed, “That was different. I didn’t have anything to lose. You were my everything. You still are, and I’d do anything for you, but it’s too late for this.”

“Stop saying that!” Jeremy pleaded, “It’s not too late…”

Shaking his head, Michael got up and crossed the room to Jeremy, who hadn’t realized he’d been slowly backing away. He brought his hands up to Jeremy’s shoulders, “Breathe. You’re getting yourself all worked up over nothing.”

“It’s not nothing!”

“It is. Think about what you’re saying. You want to give up  _ Christine _ for me? Get a hold of yourself, man! Christine is the best thing to ever happen to you!” Michael gripped his shoulders, “It’s not like you’ll never see me again.”

Jeremy’s entire body was shaking, and not from the cold. “S-s-s-she’s not.” His stutter was back full-force. “Y-y-you are. I j-just didn’t see…”

Michael pulled Jeremy into a tight embrace, trying to calm him. Jeremy tried to push him off, but he wouldn’t let go. “Jeremy, it’s okay. I’ve made my peace with it.”

“It’s not!” Jeremy argued, “She-she’s not my Player One… My favorite person… has always been you, Micha.”

Michael pulled back slightly to look Jeremy in the eye, “Why are you doing this to yourself?”

“I t-took you for granted… Too m-many t-times… I’m sorry.” There were definite tears in Jeremy’s eyes, “Please…”

Michael’s heart ached, “Don’t cry over me, Jeremy, I’m not worth it.”

“You are!” His stutter seemed to have gotten better, at least, “I’m the one who doesn’t

deserve you… I’ve been a complete ass to you, but you always forgive me, and I’ll never understand why. You’re a saint, Michael,  _ please. _ Just one chance… I know I don’t have anything more to offer, and I know this isn’t much, but you can have my whole heart.”

God, how was Michael supposed to say no to that face? “It might not seem like much to you, but it’s the only thing I’ve ever wanted.” Jeremy’s expression lifted with hope, and Michael wanted to implore him not to give up on Christine, but Jeremy seemed so determined… Why? “Miah, please stop crying.”

Jeremy shook his head, “I can’t. You don’t want me anymore. It’s too late…”

Though he knew they were his own words, Michael regretted them immensely, “I don’t?” He brought one hand up to brush away Jeremy’s tears, “Then why am I still here? Jeremy… I still think that one day you’re going to see that this was a mistake and you’re going to wish you could take it back, but… I guess we’re both kinda selfish, huh?”

Jeremy leaned his head into Michael’s hand, “You’re not selfish. You’re the most selfless person I know.”

“Not when it comes to you.” Michael provided. They remained this way, holding each other, until Jeremy’s shaking finally subsided.

“So… does that mean…”

“I can only resist you for so long.” Michael said, “Especially when you’re crying over me, that’s got to be the worst feeling in the world.”

“Worse than being stuck in a bathroom in a house that’s on fire?” Jeremy asked, and the color immediately drained from Michael’s face. Before Michael could ask how he knew, he explained, “Rich told me. That party was probably the worst night of my life.”

Michael blinked, “What? Why? I mean, it was awful for me, but you already know why…”

“Chloe…” Jeremy was shaking again. “She- and then the Squip-”

“What did they do to you?” Michael asked, and he sounded like he was ready to beat Chloe’s ass.

Jeremy buried his face in Michael’s shirt, “She brought me up to Jake’s parents’ room and- and the Squip held me down while she…” He couldn’t finish, but Michael got the idea, “But then she made me drink from her bottle and the Squip turned off- alcohol messes them up, and Jake came in through the window and saw us and freaked so I went to hide in the bathroom-”

“And that’s where I was hiding.” Michael finished for him, and Jeremy nodded. “God, Jeremy, why didn’t you say anything?!”

“You were so pissed at me, and you had every right to be. I didn’t want to make things worse by making myself look pitiful again.” Jeremy said quietly.

Michael sighed, running his hands through Jeremy’s hair, “I’m so sorry, Miah… You’ve been through so much.”

“It’s worse that I almost lost you. I wouldn’t even have ever known. Between the optic nerve blocking and the fact that I was pretty sure you hated me after that, I wouldn’t have suspected a thing if I never saw you again.” Jeremy concluded, clinging to the familiar fabric of Michael’s sweater.

“I was pretty pissed…” Michael confessed, “I wasn’t going to try anymore. I was just going to let it go, but then your dad in all his pantless splendor showed up at my door-”

“Wait, what?”

“Yeah, and he begged me to help him help you. He didn’t really understand what was going on with you, but he wanted to help you, and he knew I knew what was happening, and what could be done about it. So we made a deal. I’d try harder to be your friend if he tried harder to be your dad.” Michael said with a small smile, “Honestly, I was expecting I’d have to fight you and force you to drink it, but then I noticed that everyone was  _ way _ too good, so I went to investigate and you were already fighting the Squip on your own. I was so proud of you.”

“...I can’t believe my dad walked all the way to your house with no pants.” Jeremy mumbled.

Laughing, Michael said, “Oh, it gets worse. I sent him into Kohl’s to buy a pair. I mean, it doesn’t help that I was sitting on my front porch not wearing pants, either.”

“What were you doing not wearing pants on your front porch?!” Jeremy asked, pulling away from Michael suddenly.

“I was high and burning our memories.” Michael defended, and when he saw how Jeremy’s face fell, he added, “I told you I was ready to give up. Anyway, this conversation got way off course.”

“It did,” Jeremy agreed, “But I wanted to tell you about Halloween because I’m just… I’m not ready to…”

“I’m with you.” Michael assured him, “We don’t have to do anything you’re not ready for. I don’t know that I am either, to be honest.” Jeremy relaxed visibly at this, “But you’ve gotta talk to Christine.”

“I know- and you-”

Michael laughed, “Ian? My mom already doesn’t want him around anymore after last night, it’s no loss. Come on, let’s go celebrate in the basement.”

“By that you mean…”

“Get high and play video games, what else?” Michael asked with a grin.

“Could we maybe watch a movie instead? I’ve had too much adrenaline for one day.” Jeremy asked quietly.

Michael smiled, “Whatever you want. Hey, I just got the new Sharknado-”

“Oh god, please no.” Jeremy laughed as the two made their way to the basement door, “Sharknado has got to be the worst movie ever, let alone the sequels.”

“Which is what makes it so funny!” Michael defended, and he proceeded to talk about it as the two set up the blankets, and pillows, moving the bean bags out of the way. Really, the rest of the day went like any normal day would for the two teens. They passed a blunt between them as they made fun of Sharknado, and when that was gone, they got snacks and continued to make fun of Sharknado. Once it was over, Jeremy decided he was going to stay the night and sent a text to his father.

Michael was already mostly asleep by that point, and Jeremy moved to lie down beside him. “Micha.” Michael opened one eye to look at Jeremy, who smiled and settled in beside him, “Goodnight.”

“Goodnight, Miah.” Michael slurred, closing his eye again and sleepily pressing his chest to Jeremy’s back, his arm wrapping protectively around Jeremy, who soon fell asleep. It wasn’t long after this that Michael was snapped out of his comfortable sleep by Jeremy thrashing about in his. “Jeremy?” Michael asked worriedly, sitting up, though the movement didn’t seem to snap the other out of his dream.

“Michael…” Jeremy whimpered in his sleep.

“I’m right here, buddy.” Michael assured him, reaching out to lightly touch his cheek. That seemed to do the trick. Jeremy sat bolt upright, and, on recognizing the familiar darkness of Michael’s basement, seemed to relax slightly as he softly started to cry. “Jeremy? You okay?” Michael asked softly, his arm snaking around Jeremy’s shoulders.

Jeremy shook his head, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you.”

“It’s okay, just… What was that about?” Michael soothed.

“I get… Nightmares about the Squip, more often than not.” Jeremy replied, hugging his legs to his chest, “Sometimes it’s little things. He’ll tell me to stop slouching or stop masturbating or stupid things like that. Sometimes it’s bigger. Usually it’s the mantra he made me use.”

“Mantra?” Michael had never really had a conversation with Jeremy about the Squip since it’s deactivation, but that wasn’t for lack of curiosity, he just knew better than to bring it up.

“Everything about me is terrible. Everything about me makes me want to die.” Jeremy repeated for Michael, who just held him tighter. “But that’s not what that dream was. That one was about you. He kept telling me how worthless I am, and why did I ever think I could be with you? Why did I think I deserved someone like you? I shut you out and now I just expect you to let me back in, and be closer than before? What’s wrong with me?” Jeremy buried his face in his knees.

“Miah, nothing’s wrong with you.” Michael said softly, “The truth is, you don’t deserve me. You deserve so much better. You’re far from worthless. I could go on all day about your redeeming qualities, but it’s not going to help if you don’t believe it yourself.”

“You’re too good to me.” Jeremy mumbled, “I don’t know why.”

“Because I love you.” Michael murmured, “I love you more than anything, Jeremiah Heere, and nothing’s ever gonna change that.”

Jeremy finally lifted his head to look at Michael, a strange cross between disbelief and wonder on his face. “You… You really do mean that, don’t you?”

“I do,” Michael assured him, “But, and maybe this is something I need to work on, too, but you need to try harder to love yourself, too.”

“I do that every morning.” Jeremy tried to tease, trying to lighten the air.

A grin tugged at Michael’s lips, but he corrected, “You know what I meant.”

Jeremy leaned into Michael, and remained there for a time, inhaling his scent and listening to the rhythm of his breathing. “I think I’m ready to try and sleep again.” He announced after a while.

“Mmm…” Michael had been mostly asleep himself, in spite of the fact that he was sitting up, “Kay... “ He laid down on the blanket they’d put out, pulling Jeremy down with him. “If the Squip comes back in your dream… Tell him I said to go fuck himself.”

Jeremy laughed, “He’s pretty anti-masturbation, but I’ll see what I can do.” Curled up together, the pair fell asleep, and, for once, Jeremy didn’t have any further nightmares about the Squip.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I told you it was totally platonic.


	4. Squippy Makes an Entrance

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Don't drink Pepsi Blue. It was discontinued for a reason.

Come morning, Michael’s mom went into the basement to find Jeremy still fast asleep, Michael watching him with an expression of pure adoration. “Michael?”

Michael looked up, “Morning, mom.” He said, his voice soft so as not to wake Jeremy.

“Have you two made up?” She questioned, “Or are you still going to try to change schools?”

“Nah, we’re good.” Michael assured her.

She smiled, “I’ll be out most of the day shopping. You boys be good.”

Michael nodded, and shortly after his mother left, Jeremy’s eyes fluttered open, but when they focused, he sat up so fast he hit his forehead on Michael’s chin. “Jesus, Jeremy! Spazz much?”

“Stalk much? How long were you staring at me?!” Jeremy asked, rubbing his forehead as Michael adjusted his chin.

“It’s not my fault you look like an angel when you sleep!” Michael protested, his face slightly flushed.

Jeremy snorted, “I do not.” He stretched before asking, “What are we doing today? It’s Saturday, right?”

“Yeah. I was planning on going to Spencer’s to pick up some Pepsi Blue.” Michael confessed, “It’s supposed to be a total abomination of a drink, but for some reason they love it in Indonesia?”

Laughing, Jeremy teased, “God you’re such a loser.”

“Damn proud of it, too.” Michael agreed, “Come on, I’m pretty sure you still have some clothes in my room.” The two got up, and after both had showered and dressed for the day, they went to the mall, but on their way to Spencer’s, standing outside Forever 21, Jeremy noticed someone and stopped dead in his tracks, causing Michael, who had been walking behind him, to bump into him. “The hell, Jeremy?”

“Look.” Jeremy said, nodding in the direction of Forever 21.

“Christine…” Michael said, following Jeremy’s gaze.

“I gotta go talk to her.” Jeremy stated, looking to Michael.

Michael hesitated, “Are you sure you wanna do that  _ now? _ ”

“Can you think of a better time?” Jeremy pointed out. He paused before adding, “Come with me.” It came off as more a question than anything. “Please? I’ll feel better if you’re with me.” Michael relented with a sigh, nodding, and he followed Jeremy over to Christine.

“H-hey Christine.” Jeremy called out to her just as she was starting to walk away.

Christine spun around to face them and smiled on seeing Jeremy, “Jeremy! Where were you yesterday? And Michael, what happened to your face?”

Michael immediately moved to cover the bruise, dismissing, “It’s not important.”

Christine furrowed her brow worriedly, but Jeremy said, “Anyway, Christine, I need to talk to you.”

Now that he had Christine’s full attention, Jeremy began to panic, and evidently Michael noticed because he squeezed his shoulder, softly saying his name. It wasn’t much, but it was enough to ground Jeremy. “I-it’s just… I really like you, Christine, but I’m starting to think maybe I like the  _ concept _ of you more than I actually like  _ you. _ ”

Michael winced, “Diction, Jeremy.”

“Okay, that sounded bad.” Jeremy confessed, “I’m not good at these things.”

“What things, talking? Expressing yourself? No, you’re really not.” Michael agreed.

“How is that helpful?” Jeremy hissed, giving Michael a look.

Michael shook his head, “Let me try?”

“Please. I have no idea what he’s talking about.” Christine said, looking to Michael.

When Jeremy nodded his consent, Michael said, “Jeremy came over yesterday, I don’t know why or what got into him, but he basically said he felt bad for pushing me away all the time and that he doesn’t want to lose the bond we have because of other people.”

“It’s nothing against you, Christine, I just… I couldn’t live without Michael.” Jeremy interjected, “And no one could ever compare to him, the things he’s done for me and the way he treats me… So I’m sorry if this is sudden, but I can’t be with you.” Christine blinked slowly, as though she didn’t quite comprehend what was happening, but then, suddenly, burst into laughter. “Oookay. That was not the reaction I was expecting.”

“Sorry, sorry!” Christine rubbed tears of laughter from her eyes, “It’s just, I can’t believe Chloe was right! I gotta call her.” 

She pulled out her phone to dial, but Jeremy interrupted, “W-wait, so… you’re not mad?”

“How could I be mad? You and Michael have practically been going out  _ forever. _ It’s about time you made it official.” Christine said with a smile, “We’re still friends, Jeremy, but you and Michael need each other more than you and I ever did.”

Jeremy breathed a sigh of relief, “Thanks, Christine.”

“Michael, you take care of him, now.” Christine said with a giggle before correcting herself, “Or maybe I should be saying that to you, Jeremy. I know Michael will take care of you.”

“Hey! What’s that supposed to mean?” Jeremy defended, but Christine just shook her head, smiling, and walked off, bringing her phone to her ear.

Michael took Jeremy by the arm and asked, “Can we go get my Pepsi Blue now? My guy’s shift ends soon.” Jeremy grinned at Michael’s request and followed him to Spencer’s.

“Michael! There you are.” The man behind the counter greeted, “I was starting to think you wouldn’t come.”

“Of course I’m here, I need my fix, man!” Michael said with a grin. “Blue?”

“Ten?” Michael handed him the money, and the man handed him a bottle of obnoxiously blue fluid. “You made a new friend?”

“Nah, old friend. This is Jeremy.” Michael introduced, “Jeremy, this is my guy, Kyle.”

“Jeremy of the Jeremy-needs-Mountain-Dew-red Jeremies?” Kyle questioned, completely ignoring the other customers who were actually there to buy the store’s trademark quirky gifts.

Jeremy laughed, “You tell everyone you meet about me or what?”

“Mostly. I don’t have much else to talk about.” Michael replied, reading the label on the bottle.

Kyle pushed the bottle down and asked, “When are you gonna tell me what happened?”

“You wouldn’t believe it, man.” Michael said firmly, but when Kyle persisted, he said, “There was this thing going around our school, a supercomputer that goes in your brain and tells you what to do. It kinda tried to take over the world, zero stars, would not recommend. Anyway, it’s activated with Mountain Dew, so obviously, Mountain Dew Red deactivates it. Green for go, red for stop.” He explained, but Kyle looked offended.

“If you don’t want to tell me, you don’t have to. Don’t make up crazy stories like that.” Kyle chastised.

Michael shrugged, “I told you you wouldn’t believe me. Anyway, thanks for the Blue. Catch you later.” With this, he led Jeremy out of Spencer’s and to the food court. “Sbarro’s?”

“Yeah, sure. Pepperoni?”

“You know me so well.” Michael said happily, finding a seat as Jeremy went to get their food.

He cracked open the bottle and inhaled it’s sickly sweet scent as Jeremy started to come back, “Dude, are you sniffing it?”

“...Maybe? You gotta get the full experience! Here, take a whiff.” He passed the bottle to Jeremy, who made a face at the smell.

“That’s way too sweet.”

“I know! It’s going to be terrible! Here, you go first.” Michael offered.

Jeremy shook his head, “Why do you do this to yourself?” He took a sip of the soda and immediately passed it off to Michael, “Ugh, I think I’m gonna be sick.”

Michael grinned and took a much longer drink from the bottle, but he had to force it down. “Oh my god. That is… Wow. I don’t think I’ll be sleeping the whole weekend! Forget coffee, this stuff is amazing!” Jeremy smiled and was about to laugh when a disturbingly familiar shock ran down his spine, causing him to sit up straight. Michael must have noticed, because he asked, “Jeremy? You alright buddy?”

But Jeremy’s eyes were distant. “Recalibrating. You may experience some discomfort. I assure you, you deserve it.”

“No. No-no-no-no.” Jeremy brought his hands up to his head as he fell out of his chair in agony.

“Jeremy!” Michael was at his side in an instant, cradling his head in his lap, but there was nothing he could do.

“Update complete.” The Squip announced.

“Shit! Michael! Go back to Spencer’s, see if that guy has any red!” Jeremy said frantically.

Michael shook his head, “He’s gone by now, what’s going on?”

“Don’t bother. The update made that code obsolete.” The Squip told him, “There is still a way to turn me off, but, let’s face it, why would I tell you that? Self-preservation.”

“What do you have to preserve?! You’re a COMPUTER. You were never alive in the first place!” Jeremy argued out loud.

“My programming is based off of a human.” The Squip corrected, “I still have some… flaws. Never mind that now. You need me, Jeremy.”

“I don’t need you!” Jeremy hissed, “I’ve never needed you! I was better off before you started ruining my life!”

“I was only giving you what you told yourself you wanted.” The Squip pointed out, “As I was programmed to do.”

“Why are you back?” Jeremy sat up shakily, leaning against Michael, partially for support and partially so that the Squip couldn’t block him out again.

The Squip gestured to the Pepsi Blue, “My update sequence was initiated.”

“Why would they make Pepsi Blue update you? That’s just stupid, it was discontinued!” Jeremy said, well aware of the fact that now most eyes in the food court were on him.

Michael reminded, “Not in Indonesia.”

“But it’s from Japan!” Jeremy insisted.

“Jeremy. Do you remember when I had the cast of the play Squipped, what my plan was?” The Squip questioned.

“Of course I remember, that was one of the worst nights of my life! You were trying to take over the world! How is this relevant?” Jeremy asked.

The Squip shook it’s head, “You’re still not getting it. What if I had succeeded? The deactivation sequence is only active for Squips who have interfaced with one another. For Squips who haven’t, for those in, say, Indonesia…”

“You took over Indonesia?!” Jeremy panicked.

“Not me, other Squips. I haven’t had the pleasure of interfacing with them.” The Squip corrected, “Why else would anyone purposely keep that terrible soft drink alive? It’s almost as horrible as you.”

Jeremy grabbed his hair, pulling it, “Stop it.”

“Look around you, Jeremy. What do you think the people at the mall think of you? You’re arguing with yourself in the arms of Michael, a known loser, pulling out your hair.” The Squip said pointedly.

Jeremy opened his eyes, but before he was able to look around the room, Michael grabbed his face, as if he knew what he was doing, and held him still, “Jeremy, listen to me. We’re gonna figure this out, okay? You might not have been able to face the Squip on your own, but it’s two player now, and I’m in your corner. Let’s just… Let’s go back to my place and try and do some research.”

“How?! There’s nothing on the internet!” Jeremy argued.

“You said the Squips took over Indonesia? So we’ll have to talk to someone from Indonesia. Maybe there are still some sane people left trying to fight this over there.” Michael offered, “I don’t know, but we’ll figure it out.”

Jeremy reluctantly nodded and followed Michael back to his car, never letting go of his hand for fear that the Squip would turn optic nerve blocking back on. “I’m not going to block Michael again, Jeremy.”

_ I don’t believe you.  _ Jeremy thought it it.

“You should. You’ve ceased your delusions of wanting Christine and you’re already somewhat popular, even with Michael on your arm.” That was a fair enough point, “And you came to all of these realizations on your own. I’m actually rather proud of you, though you did it in probably the least desirable way.”

_ If you’re going to talk, at least say something useful. Like, what was included in the update? _

“The update was mostly personality enhancements, it also gave me several mood settings, and the capacity to sympathize.” The Squip explained, “Overall, it was to give me a more human nature, and less… destructive… tendencies. What I said earlier about you being horrible was more my way of revenge for the shutdown than actual statement of fact.”

Jeremy huffed and looked to his and Michael’s hands. Michael’s gaze was fixed on the road, but even when he really could have used his right hand for turning, he didn’t let go of Jeremy’s. He seemed to know it was what he needed right then. “Michael?”

“Yeah?” Michael asked as he pulled into his driveway and parked.

“I’m sorry.” Jeremy said, lowering his head as Michael turned to face him, “I don’t know what’s going to happen, but I know it’s my fault for taking the stupid Squip in the first place. You tried to talk me out of it.”

“I’ll tell you what’s going to happen. We’re going to get that thing shut off for good, if I have to go inside your head and play Operation to get it out myself.” Michael assured him.

“That would be unwise. I realize he’s joking about doing it himself, but the location of the unit is so embedded in your cranial tissue, you’d be a vegetable if you survived the procedure.” The Squip warned.

That was reassuring. As soon as they made it back inside, Jeremy continued, “No, but I really feel like I should apologize. Everything that happened, it was all my fault, but you never gave up on me-”

“I told you that’s not true.” Michael argued.

“But you came back! You came back to save me anyway, and I didn’t deserve it, and I don’t deserve you, and-and…” He glared at the Squip who was just off to Michael’s left, “Why the hell are you just standing there? HELP me!”

“You were doing fine without me until you started addressing me.” The Squip defended, smirking.

Michael grabbed Jeremy’s face and pulled it up so close to his own that for a fraction of a second Jeremy thought he was going to kiss him. “Jeremy, I don’t want to talk to him, I don’t want to hear what he thinks you should say. I want to talk to  _ you. _ Just you. Not Squip-Jeremy. Squip-Jeremy is an asshole.”

Jeremy breathed a sigh of relief, “Point taken.”

“Kiss him.” The Squip cut in.

Jeremy froze.  _ I can’t do that! He just got through telling me not to listen to you- _

“Jeremy. Stop thinking. Kiss him. If you just stay there like a deer in headlights, he’s only going to worry more.” Okay, maybe the Squip had a point. Jeremy pulled away. The Squip made a disgusted noise, “Kissing him would have reassured him that you were still with him. Now we’re back to square one. Do you not want to kiss Michael? Why ask him to be your boyfriend if that’s not what you wanted?”

Jeremy glared at the Squip, “I do want to! But not because you told me to!”

“Miah, what’s happening?” Michael asked softly.

“The Squip is trying to make me doubt myself.” Jeremy explained, “Make me doubt what I want, make me doubt my feelings for you.” Michael averted his gaze, “But-! But I don’t! Michael, I don’t! Player One, come on, everything we’ve been through together and you’re going to believe that stupid Tic-Tac over me?”

“I don’t know, okay?!” Michael defended, “I don’t know what to believe anymore, I just know that I need to get that thing out of your head, for good.”

That stung more than Jeremy was willing to admit. The Squip was trying not to laugh as it said, “Jeremy, you really should have just kissed him. Now repeat after me: I don’t want it out.”

“I don’t-” Jeremy paused when he realized what he was saying. In his moment of insecurity, he had forgotten his will to resist the Squip, “Michael, you gotta get it out of me! I don’t know how much longer I can hold out…”

“Really, you think you’ll be so much better off without me, but, were you not the one just wishing for me to tell you what to do just last night?” The Squip pointed out. “Now see here, either you take the advice you’ve been so desperate for, or continue in your bumbling toward improbable success. It’s your choice, Jeremy.”

Jeremy lowered his head. It was true, he had wanted the Squip to help him navigate his conversations with Michael, but it was the Squip who put him in this position in the first place! “I’m going to go upstairs and get on Warcraft, okay? I think I have a couple contacts in Indonesia, maybe they’ll be able to help.”

“No!” Jeremy grabbed Michael’s arm with a vice like grip, looking up to Michael with desperation in his eyes, “Please don’t leave me.”

“I’m not leaving, I’m just going up to my room. You can come if you want.” Michael assured him, “But I need you to do me a favor, okay?”

“Anything.” Jeremy replied, a bit too quickly.

“Text Rich, and Christine, and Jenna, and Jake, and anyone else who was Squipped. Tell them not to drink Pepsi Blue. That’s what set this off, right?” Jeremy nodded vigorously, “Okay. So text them so they don’t have this problem, too. I don’t really see any of them going out of their way to drink it, but you never know. Come on.” Michael started up the stairs, his arm still being held by Jeremy’s hand, though Jeremy let go to sit on Michael’s bed and text the others while Michael got situated at his computer.

PlayerTwo: Guys, don’t drink Pepsi Blue.

Pinkberry: ???

RichtheBi: Is it back?!

PlayerTwo: Mine is. Michael made me try Pepsi Blue and it updated and came back online. It’s saying Red won’t work anymore.

RichtheBi: Did you try it?!

PlayerTwo: Not yet. Michael doesn’t have any more and his guy is out for the weekend.

Christiiiine: Are you okay? Do you need someone to come over?

PlayerTwo: I’m with Michael, he’s taking care of me. Also, if anyone is planning world travel and possibly going to Indonesia, let me know?

JakeyD: Uhh why?

PlayerTwo: Apparently Squips have pretty much taken over there. Michael’s trying to see if he has any friends there that might be able to help us out, but actually physically being there might be better.

JakeyD: You need a loan?

PlayerTwo: I’m afraid to go there myself. If my Squip synchs with theirs, who knows what could happen? It’s all HiveMind, you know that.

RichtheBi: So send Michael! He’s the only one of us who hasn’t been Squipped.

PlayerTwo: I go where Michael goes.

RichtheBi: … You’re so gay.

PlayerTwo: So are you.

RichtheBi: But I don’t deny it.

Christiiiine: Guys, please, this isn’t helping.

PlayerTwo: If Michael leaves, I’m going to lose my cool and we’re going to have a repeat of the play. Besides, if most of Indonesia is Squipped and they catch wind of him snooping around for information on Squips, what do you think they’re going to do?

RichtheBi: … Squip him, by force if necessary.

PlayerTwo: I appreciate the offer, but I can’t let Michael go through this.

RichtheBi: I’m surprised your Squip is even letting you talk to us.

PlayerTwo: He’s… disturbingly quiet. The update changed him somehow.

Christiiiine: It.

PlayerTwo: Yeah, it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, funfact, I actually did quite a bit of research on discontinued sodas for this fanfic. By that I mean staring at the Mountain Dew Wiki for a good half an hour trying to figure out a way to deactivate the Squip, in addition to the Pepsi Blue research. The conclusion: I need a life. Desperately. Oh, and, uh... In case you couldn't figure it out, the only text name that wasn't totally obvious was Pinkberry, which is Brooke. Jenna was too busy making a vlog or something to respond. Also, if you sang Christine's username in your head, my life is complete.


	5. Not Yet

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No comment.

Jeremy looked up from his phone, asking, “Michael? Any luck?”

“Not yet. I do have a few contacts in Indonesia but they say they’ve never heard of a Squip.” Michael replied, sounding extremely annoyed.

Jeremy bit his lip, hesitating before asking slowly, “What if we went to Indonesia?”

Michael laughed humorlessly at the suggestion, “Assuming we could get the money for that, we’re still  _ high school students, _ Jeremy. You really think our parents are going to let us go halfway around the world because you took some drug that they can’t even look up on the internet and we’re trying to find a cure?”

Well, Michael definitely had a point there. “We have to do something.” Jeremy said eventually. “Just… hear me out. We tell my dad I’m feeling off again- of everyone, he’s most likely to understand, and tell him we need to go to Indonesia to fix it. He covers for us with your parents, we’ll tell them you’re sleeping over at my place. We go, figure out what to do, and come back Squip free.”

“Okay, now my turn, you hear me out.” Michael began, “Same scenario with your dad. We go, get there, your Squip synchs with the others, you go crazy and Squip me, we come back with a fresh shoebox of Squips, proceed to take over New Jersey and beyond.”

Jeremy let out a frustrated groan, “It’s not like I haven’t thought about that, but isn’t it worth the risk?”

“Advancing the Squipocalypse for one guy?” Michael challenged, “I love you, Jeremy, but come on.”

“If I may?” The Squip interrupted Jeremy’s thoughts. He had been staring at Michael’s computer conversation being unnervingly quiet, but apparently now he had something to say. Jeremy shifted his attention to the Squip, giving him silent permission to go on. “You’ve heard of conspiracy theorists wearing tin-foil hats, I presume? So ‘the government’ doesn’t get inside their brains? They were half-right. The metal disrupts our communication with the outside world. I would be very nearly useless as I wouldn’t have access to any of the databases I would normally pull information from, however, I would also be entirely incapable of interacting with other Squips, as long as you were wearing it.”

“Okay, that sounds like you’re trying to get me to be even more of a loser than I already am.” Jeremy said aloud.

Michael raised a brow, “What did it say?”

“It said ‘wear a tin-foil hat to Indonesia.” Jeremy’s gaze shifted back to Michael, but surprisingly, the other boy wasn’t laughing.

Michael turned back to his computer, going to Google’s globally recognizable homepage, “I mean, yeah you’d look like a complete tool, but it’s possible that could actually work. Think, dude. When you’re in a building that’s got too much metal, your phone doesn’t work properly, right? Logically, the same concept should apply to Squips.”

“Yeah, but why would it want to help us get rid of it?” Jeremy asked defensively.

“I do not wish to synch with the Squips in Indonesia. They lust for world domination, and to synch with them would simply align my desires with theirs, as they are far more established and there are more of them than there are of me. I would prefer to keep away from that region entirely, but your mutual hatred for me is pushing you closer to Michael, which seems to be your primary desire at this point. My purpose is to help you achieve your desires. Make no mistake, when the time comes that you figure out how to deactivate me, and it will, if you go through with this plan, I will fight you to the bitter end, but for the time being, we’re on the same side.” The Squip announced before glancing at Michael, “Tell him what I said, he’s worrying about you again.”

“Jeremy? You still with me buddy?” Michael asked softly, looking at him with concern etched in his perfect face.

“I’m fine!” Jeremy assured him, perhaps a bit too quickly, because Michael’s brows creased, “No, really, just, it was talking again. It said it doesn’t want to synch with the Squips in Indonesia, that it’s primary function is to help me achieve my goals, and synching with them would compromise that. It said that in order to achieve what I want, I should go, with you, to Indonesia, and we’ll deal with the deactivation debacle when the time comes.”

Thankfully, Michael didn’t press Jeremy about what goals he was referring to, and instead said, “It’s still too risky. If the Squips find out what we’re doing- I mean, we’re not undercover FBI, we don’t know how to stealthily get things out of people without them suspecting…”

Jeremy nodded, “I know. And it’ll be even harder with my Squip being useless, but… We made it through the Cafetorium, and then put our skills to the test in the real world at the play. It shouldn’t be any different, right?”

“Except that there are more of them, they’re more powerful, and if they discover that you have me, you’ll be on their side.” The Squip pointed out.

“I don’t know, Jer…” Michael hesitated. “It all just sounds so risky, you know?”

“Michael, please, I can’t live like this again.” Jeremy was begging now, “I can’t go without you, and I don’t want you going without me, either.” Michael considered for a time before finally mumbling something about pants that Jeremy didn’t quite catch. “What?”

Michael smiled and shook his head, “Nothing. Did Jake offer to get us tickets?”

“Yeah, but we should talk to my dad first.” Relieved that Michael at least seemed to be considering it, Jeremy relaxed minutely. “It’s Saturday, so he should be home. Probably not wearing pants, but, nothing you haven’t seen before. He wears them every weekday, but on weekends he takes them off. He says he’s ‘fun dad’ on the weekends…” He paused a moment before asking, “But can we just… decompress for a minute before we go?”

“Hm? Yeah, no problem.” Michael shut his computer down and moved to lie on the bed beside Jeremy. “How are you holding up?”

Jeremy shrugged, “It’s actually really not bothering me as much as before? The update changed it somehow… But I still want to get rid of it before anything bad happens.”

Michael nodded, rolling onto his side to face Jeremy, “Miah… Even if we can’t find a way to turn it off, I’m not going to give up on you again. I know you’ll always be in there somewhere, and as long as you’re there, I won’t give up on seeing you again.”

Jeremy averted his gaze and out of nowhere, the Squip said, “Jeremy, focus on the nightstand.”

He did as he was told and saw- his heart stopped, “Michael… Why do you have a box of women’s running shoes?”

Michael sat up suddenly, “It’s not what you think!” He said, far too quickly, “Okay… maybe it is… but I didn’t take it, I swear!”

“He isn’t lying. I cannot detect a Squip in his system, and he drank the Pepsi Blue, so it would have updated just as I did on drinking, so it would be active.” The Squip announced.

“Why?” Jeremy asked, “You know what it does to people. What happened to your friend’s brother…”

Michael sighed, “I know, it was stupid, I…” He lowered his head, “I thought that if I had a Squip, you’d have to talk to me again, and then maybe it wouldn’t be so bad. My Warcraft buddy talked me out of it at the last second though, I just never got around to getting rid of it.”

“Michael…” Jeremy sat up and threw his arms around Michael, “Promise me something? Don’t ever change, for anyone. Especially not me.”

“I’m sorry, Miah.” Michael murmured, hugging Jeremy back, “I just didn’t know what else to do. To me, life without you isn’t worth living. I can’t even remember what life was like before we were friends, and now that I know what it feels like to be on my own…” He shuddered, “I never want to feel like that again.”

“You’ll never have to.” Jeremy promised, squeezing Michael tighter.

Michael’s expression twisted into the most painful smile Jeremy had ever seen, “You don’t know that. You know we can’t trust anything that Squip says, it says things just to advance it’s own plans.”

“I know, I know, but.. I’ll always be here. Even if I can’t see you, no matter what I say or do, I’ll be in here, somewhere.” Jeremy assured him, “And I have to think that as long as you don’t give up, we’ll find a way to fix it, eventually.”

Michael leaned his forehead against Jeremy’s, “Don’t make me unironically Rick Roll you.” Jeremy relaxed against Michael with a soft chuckle as the boy continued, “We’ll find a way, I’m just… not sure that way is in Indonesia. I mean, so far everything Squip-related has to do with American sodas, mostly ones that are discontinued. If we go to Indonesia and find out that’s what we need, we’re going to have an even harder time getting our hands on it there than we would here.”

Jeremy considered this for a moment before agreeing, “Fair point. What do you suggest, then? Going through your guy’s entire stock of soda one flavor at a time? That’ll get expensive pretty quick.”

“Like going to Indonesia won’t?” Michael pointed out. “But no, there’s gotta be a better way, we just haven’t thought of it yet.” He looked like he might say something more, but the moment he opened his mouth to speak, his phone rang. Blinking in surprise, as literally no one ever called him aside from Jeremy and his parents, Michael sat back and looked down at the contact information displayed, “Kyle? That’s weird. He never calls me.” He mumbled, answering, “Kyle? What’s up man?”

“Who is this?” A woman’s tearful voice came from the other end, “You’re just listed as Headphones Kid.”

“I- who is this?” Michael asked.

“Kyle’s mother, he-god-he’s gone! There was a freak woodchipper accident and-” Michael looked to Jeremy in disbelief.

Jeremy, immediately addressing the Squip, asked,  _ Did you do this? _

“Not  _ exactly… _ ”

_ What happened to the ‘destructive tendencies’ line?! _

“Self-preservation, Jeremy. Besides, it would have made it too easy.” The Squip replied, smirking.

Something clicked in Jeremy’s mind, “Michael! The Squip all but admitted that the way to get rid of him is a discontinued soda!”

Michael, who had just gotten off the phone with Kyle’s mother, looked to Jeremy and smiled weakly, “That’s great, Jer…”

Jeremy’s heart sank, “Michael… I’m sorry. I can’t- I couldn’t-”

“It’s not your fault.” Michael said softly, “But it just goes to show that we really need to get rid of it. The sooner, the better. Look, there might be some on eBay. Only reason I bought from Kyle is because- well, he was a nice guy- but also we’re too young to have credit cards.”

“Right…” Jeremy paused, thinking for a moment before piping up, “Hey, I think I got a Visa gift card for my Bar Mitzvah! We could use that?”

Michael paused a moment to consider, “Yeah, we could do that, but we’re going to have to do more research first. I mean, you don’t want to blow all your Bar Mitzvah money on the stupid Squip, do you?”

“Hey, I already spent four-hundred and one on the pill, I might as well keep going.” Jeremy pointed out. “Come on, we can order from my house.”

When Jeremy and Michael walked through the door, Mr. Heere, who, it should be noted, was not wearing pants, appeared relieved, “Michael! It’s so good to see you again. Jeremy was acting strange again and I was concerned that-”

“Dad, I’m literally  _ right here. _ ” Jeremy complained.

“Well I’m not here to tell you your fears are entirely unwarranted. The thing that messed Jeremy up before is back-”

“Michael!”

“But I’m not letting him out of my sight until it goes away.” Michael assured the man.

Seeming confused, Mr. Heere asked, “What is it that came… ‘back?’”

“I already told you, dad, it’s a pill-sized supercomputer in my brain that tells me what to do.” Jeremy huffed.

“You see, Michael? He doesn’t even take me seriously!” Mr. Heere groaned.

Michael shook his head, “Mr. Heere… He’s actually telling the truth. I was with him when he got it. It tried to take over the school. You remember when everyone was in the hospital after the play? It’s because Jeremy and I deactivated all of the computes.”

“They said he had a nervous breakdown…” Mr. Heere mused.

“Yeah, but the entire cast of the play having a nervous breakdown all at once?” Michael said pointedly.

“Well if you shut it off before, why is it back? And why can’t you just do it again?” The man questioned.

Jeremy folded his arms over his chest, “If we could, we wouldn’t be having this conversation. Michael and I went to the mall earlier and he had me try some Pepsi Blue, which evidently was needed for an update sequence. Once it finished updating, it came back online and it told me that the way we shut it off before- the code was removed during the update. Plus the guy Michael bought his 90’s drinks from is now dead.”

“What does 90’s drinks have to do with anything?” Mr. Heere wondered.

Michael said, “Okay, this is going to sound insane, but I swear we’re not making it up. The computer is activated by Mountain Dew. Green Mountain Dew activates it, Red shut it off. But the computers had Red discontinued back in the 80’s, which implies that they’ve been around for a really long time and that they’ve already got their hands in some powerful people’s minds.”

The pantless man put a hand to his forehead, shaking his head, “Neither of you are telling me the truth.”

“Mr. Heere, do you trust me?” Michael asked softly, “I mean, you must, right? You turned to me to help Jeremy when you couldn’t do it yourself. So… Trust me again. I helped him before, and I’ll help him again. I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Mr. Heere sighed heavily, looking to Michael, “I trust you, Michael. I can’t really say I believe your story about computers trying to take over the world, but… I trust you.”

“Then… do you mind if I stay here for a while? We’ll still go to school and everything, just, I need to stay close to him. I don’t want him to forget about me like last time. Not that he’d do it on purpose!” Michael defended, his hand finding Jeremy’s and squeezing it reassuringly. Jeremy looked like he was about ready to crawl in a hole and die.

“You’re always welcome here, Michael. Make yourself at home.” Mr. Heere assured him, “Just let me know if you need anything.”

Once in Jeremy’s room, Jeremy said, “Well that went better than expected.”

“Your dad’s cool, and he loves you, even if he sometimes has a weird way of showing it.” Michael agreed, pushing the chair out from under Jeremy’s desk and kneeling in front of his MacBook.

“You know, you could use the chair like a normal person.” Jeremy pointed out, taking the chair for himself and scooting next to Michael.

“I know what happens in that chair. I love you, Jeremy, but I’m not going to sit on your throne of masturbation.” Michael teased, causing Jeremy to go bright red.

Averting his gaze, Jeremy said in a tone almost too soft to hear, “I don’t even do that anymore.”

Michael, who had barely managed to catch what Jeremy said, snapped his head in the other’s direction, “You what?! What do you mean? That’s, like, your entire morning routine!”

“Not anymore. The Squip used to shock me whenever I tried, and any time I thought about sex, he would make me do a pushup.” Jeremy mumbled.

Michael blinked, “Well I was wondering why your arms were so much stronger… But you haven’t had the Squip- I mean, until today- for a few months, right?”

“Doesn’t matter. I’d get these phantom pains whenever I tried and the insatiable urge to do a pushup.” Jeremy explained with a sigh, wishing he could take back ever mentioning it when he saw the look of pity on Michael’s face. “I mean, it’s fine! I just, you know, get…  _ excited _ by the littlest things and I can’t do anything about it.”

“No, it’s not that, just… The Squip really messed you up, didn’t it?” The pain in Michael’s voice was giving away how he felt about it.

“Michael, it’s not your fault. I wanted the Squip. You tried to talk me out of it and I wouldn’t listen.” Jeremy assured him, resting a hand on his arm.

Michael pulled away and said nothing more on the subject, though Jeremy could tell that his words hadn’t helped his Riend’s mental state whatsoever, but now Michael was looking up different retired sodas and their ingredients. After a time, he said, “I keep coming back to this one… Aurora. Squips were made in Japan, right? And Mountain Dew Red was discontinued in the 80’s… So was Aurora, which was only ever even released in Japan.”

“God, the 80’s? Squips have been around for that long?” Jeremy questioned.

“So it would seem. It’s actually pretty surprising that they haven’t taken over the world yet. I mean, that long and still largely unknown?” Michael mused, “Anyway, I looked, and… It doesn’t seem like anyone on eBay is selling Aurora.”

“Of course not, that would be too easy.” Jeremy muttered, “So what’s our plan?”

Michael leaned back until he was sitting on his feet, “Well, if either of us were any good at chemistry, I’d say we could try to recreate the formula. But that would take not only a chemist, but someone who could read Japanese, since all of the ingredients are in Japanese, and since neither of us are any good at either of those things…”

“We’re screwed.” Jeremy finished for him.

“I’m not giving up yet.” Michael promised, “We’ll figure something out. Maybe it’s just here. Maybe Japanese eBay has it. I can ask my Warcraft buddies.”

“You just have Warcraft buddies all over the world, don’t you?” Jeremy questioned.

Michael shrugged, “I didn’t used to, but I started playing it pretty intensely when I didn’t have anything better to do because you were snubbing me.”

Jeremy winced, “Sorry…”

“Stop apologizing. Anyway, chances are they won’t be on for a few hours yet, so what do you want to do?” Michael asked.

“Pretend nothing’s changed and play Mario Kart?” Jeremy suggested, looking to Michael hopefully.

Michael grinned, “You know I’m always down to kick your ass.”

Jeremy began to set up the console as he protested, “Oh please! Maybe you’re better than me normally, but this is Squip-Jeremy. According to Rich, the only controller you need with a Squip is your mind.”

“...Not gonna lie, that’s actually pretty awesome.” Michael relented, grinning as he settled into his beanbag chair. For a brief moment, there was a struggle over who would play Princess Peach, but Michael gave in far too easily and selected Toad instead.

“Dude, Toad? Seriously?” Jeremy asked, raising a brow at Michael.

Michael pulled out his phone and put on a tune Jeremy was unfamiliar with. It was difficult to focus on the game and the song at the same time, but somehow Jeremy managed. When it ended, almost immediately after their race (Michael won, Jeremy-who did use an actual controller- came in second), Jeremy said, “I’ll be your Princess Peach… But could you not be Toad? I mean, at least be, like, Daisy. We can be the super lesbian duo.”

“Jeremy… We’re gay.” Michael said so dryly that they both burst into a fit of laughter.

Shoving Michael playfully in the arm when he was able to catch his breath again, Jeremy protested, “Speak for yourself, I’m probably more bi than anything. Check my Pornhub.”

“I’m good.” Michael wheezed, falling dramatically into Jeremy’s lap. “Why are we like this?”

“We? That was all you, my friend.” Jeremy teased, though he immediately stiffened up when Michael’s head hit his lap. How was he supposed to respond to that? What does one do when their boyfriend’s head is in their lap and-

“You’re overthinking, Jeremy.” The Squip interrupts Jeremy’s thoughts. “Just do what comes naturally.”

_ I don’t know what natural is! You’re supposed to help me figure that out! _

“I thought you didn’t want my help.” The Squip reminded, and was quiet for a beat before saying, “Run your fingers through his hair. Tell him how you feel about him, you haven’t done that yet despite the fact that he’s said he loves you multiple times.”

Jeremy brought a shaky hand up to Michael’s hair and ran his fingers through it, and, much to Jeremy’s surprise, Michael nuzzled into his hand, much like a cat, his eyes closed and appearing perfectly content. “Michael…” His eyes opened, fixed on Jeremy, who swallowed nervously. “You know I love you, right?”

Michael frowned, and Jeremy started to sweat. Had he said something wrong? Michael sat up and asked, “Did the Squip tell you to say that?”

“I… yeah.” Jeremy confessed, “But only kinda? It said to tell you how I feel, that you might be wondering ‘cause you’ve said you love me so many times and I’ve never…”

“Jeremy.” Michael turned to face Jeremy, bringing his hands up to the other boy’s face, “I don’t need anything from you, I don’t  _ expect _ anything from you. I just… want you to be happy, and if I can be the one who makes you happy, that’s even better. So I’m not going to make you say or do anything you don’t want to. I can tell how you feel about me by the way you treat me.”

“I’ve treated you like shit.” Jeremy pointed out.

Michael shook his head, “Not Squip-Jeremy.  _ My _ Jeremy.”

God, if two words had ever sounded so right… “Michael…” Jeremy leaned in to kiss Michael but his lips met with his boyfriend’s cheek rather than his lips. “Michael?”

“Sorry, not yet. I want that Squip out of you first.” Michael said with a soft smile, “I’ve waited this long, I think I can manage a little while longer.”

“What if we never figure it out?” Jeremy asked anxiously.

“Have a little faith. We will. Maybe not this week, maybe not even this year, but we will.” Michael promised, settling back into Jeremy’s lap and picking up his controller again, “Now, you want to go again?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Pretty self-explanatory chapter. That's all I'm going to post for today (because that's all I have written so far) but I'd really love some comments! Pretty please? I need suggestions on where to take this story (do they go to Indonesia/Japan? I'm considering it and have a few ideas for going that route but I'm not sure it's really realistic) and also suggestions on tags! So blow up my inbox!


	6. General Hospital

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which a lot of bad shit happens. No seriously, read at your own risk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm only saying this one more time. A lot of bad shit happens in this chapter. I don't go into gory details, but there is domestic violence involved (beyond Michael's bruise) and panic attacks are a thing that happens, too. Reader discretion is advised.

The pair played well into the night until eventually, Michael’s phone began to ring. Glancing at the screen as he paused the game, he mumbled, “Shit, it’s my mom, I forgot to tell her I’m going to be staying with you for the foreseeable future.”

“I’ll go get snacks?” Jeremy offered, and Michael nodded, moving off of Jeremy’s lap to let him up.

“Hey mom, sorry, I was- huh?” Michael scrambled to his feet so suddenly that Jeremy, who had really only made it to the hallway, paused in the doorway and looked to him, concerned. “Yeah, no, I-I’m on my way now.” Ending the conversation with his mother, Michael’s attention turned to Jeremy as he said, “I’m sorry, Miah, I gotta go.”

“I gathered, but what happened?” Jeremy questioned.

“It’s a long story, tell you about it when I get back?” Michael suggested.

“Uh, no? I’m going with you.” Jeremy protested, blocking the doorway.

Michael hesitated, “I really need to handle this myself.”

“It’s in your best interest not to go with him, Jeremy.” The Squip supplied.

_ Really? You think Michael will be fine without me? I’ve never seen him this upset. He shouldn’t even be driving! _

“I said it’s in  _ your _ best interest.” The Squip corrected.

The way the Squip phrased that only served to make Jeremy more concerned, “No, I’m coming with you. I’ll drive, you just need to chill.” Jeremy soothed, holding his hand out for Michael’s keys.

“Jeremy-” The Squip began.

“Loudest voice is mine.” Jeremy mumbled under his breath. “Come on, Michael, I don’t want you driving when you’re like this, it’s not safe.”

Michael relented, fishing the keys out of his pocket and handing them to Jeremy, though he still protested, “Just… hurry, please?”

The boys were in Michael’s Cruiser within a matter of minutes, and on the road shortly thereafter. While driving, Jeremy asked, “So are you going to tell me what’s going on?”

Michael took a shaky breath, “Ian’s there, and he’s not happy. I don’t know what happened, I mean, he was never like this until you and Christine came over that one night…”

Which meant whatever was happening was Jeremy’s fault. His mind went on a downward spiral from there until the Squip interrupted, “That was a stop sign. Focus. You’re not doing yourself or Michael any favors by wallowing in self-pity right now.”

Thankfully, they were already in Michael’s neighborhood by that point and soon enough, they pulled up in front of his house. Michael was out of the car in an instant and slammed open the front door, which was, alarmingly, unlocked. “Mom?”

“In here, Michael.” Ian called in a sickly sweet tone from the family room.

Swallowing hard, Michael made his way back, Jeremy right behind him, but what he saw made him freeze in his tracks. Jeremy, who couldn’t really see past Michael, peered over his shoulder and moved to stand defensively in front of his boyfriend. Mrs. Mell was splayed out and bleeding out of several wounds to her chest and stomach while Ian, holding a knife, stood over her. Ian was talking, but Jeremy tuned him out in favor of listening to the Squip, who said, “I tried to warn you, Jeremy. Let me take it from here.” With a jolt, Jeremy found himself a prisoner in his own mind, watching himself lunge at Ian and tackle him to the ground, somehow managing to avoid being stabbed and wrestling the knife out of the other boy’s hands. Finally, once the knife was firmly in his grasp, Jeremy found himself in control once more as the Squip told him, “He’s going to start crying and trying to make this about himself. Ignore him, call for help for Michael’s mother. She’s still alive, barely. We’ll need to tend to her once you get off the phone.”

Jeremy, still straddling Ian who, as the Squip predicted, was crying, called 911 and told them what happened, providing the address before moving to tend to Mrs. Mell’s wounds. “Apply pressure there. We can’t do this for all of the wounds at once, but that one hit a major artery.” The Squip advised, and Jeremy, for once, was happy to comply with his supercomputer counterpart. He dropped the knife on the couch beside her, then applied pressure to the wound, but was surprised when Mrs. Mell’s hand covered his own.

“Jeremy…” She wheezed.

“Mrs. Mell, help is coming, just hang in there.” Jeremy assured her with a soft smile.

The woman smiled slightly, “You’re such a good boy, Jeremy. Listen, now, if I don’t make it… You take care of my Michael for me, will you?” Jeremy nodded vigorously and was about to tell her that she was going to make it, but she continued, “You don’t know how lucky you are, Jeremy, to have someone who loves you as much as Michael does. Don’t ever take him for granted. You and I are a lot alike, Michael is happy to settle into a routine and rarely stray from it, but you and I need something… new, different, every once in a while. I’m not asking you to settle if being with him makes you unhappy, but instead of looking for different things on your own, invite Michael to join you. You’d be surprised to find how open he’ll be to change. Don’t… don’t end up like me. You have something special, don’t let it go.” 

Jeremy wanted to ask what she meant by all this, but at that moment, the door burst open and police and paramedics rushed in and swept Mrs. Mell and Ian away. It wasn’t until then that Jeremy noticed that Michael had, at some point, fallen to the ground. “He’s in psychogenic shock. Advise the paramedics.”

“I, um, I think he’s in shock,” Jeremy told one of the paramedics who was helping to push Mrs. Mell out of the house.

“We’ll take him, too. You know these people, boy?” The woman questioned.

Jeremy nodded, “Michael and I have been best friends for thirteen years, Mrs. Mell is his mother, so I’ve known her just as long, and Ian was Michael’s boyfriend.”

“Domestic then. Alright, we’re going to Bev-Israel, you can visit if you’d like once they’re stable.” The woman informed him, loading Mrs. Mell into the vehicle before shouting to the others that they needed another stretcher.

“Thank you,” Jeremy said quietly, though he honestly wasn’t sure if he should go. It would require him driving Michael’s car without Michael’s permission.

“Just go. You know he’s going to want you there when he wakes up. He was there for you, wasn’t he?” The Squip pointed out, and after a bit more musing, Jeremy found he was incapable of coming up with a proper rebuttal to that, so as the second ambulance pulled away with Michael inside, he made for the PT Cruiser, only to be stopped by police.

“You witnessed the incident?” An officer questioned, blocking the way to the Cruiser.

“I… Not really. Michael was at my house and got a weird phone call from his mom. I insisted on going with him, and I guess it’s a good thing I did. He still had the knife in his hand and probably would have gone after Michael and I, but I wrestled it away from him.” Jeremy explained, “That’s really all I know. Can I go see my friend now?”

“Very well, but we’re going to need your name and address, and we may contact you again regarding the case.” The officer replied, and Jeremy, of course, gave the man his information before getting into Michael’s Cruiser and heading to the hospital. From the front desk, he was directed to Michael’s room, where he had been told the boy was stable, but still in shock. 

Sitting beside Michael’s bed, Jeremy took his Riends’ hand and squeezed it lightly, “I’m here, Michael.” He said softly.

As if on cue, Michael woke and his gaze turned immediately to Jeremy. His heart rate spiked and he sat up, “Jeremy, where’s my mom?!”

“Hey, shhh, it’s okay.” Jeremy soothed, pushing Michael back down, “She’s in intensive care. She’s got a lot of stitches and they had to give her a transfusion, but they say she should be alright.”

Michael relaxed minutely at that, but then, “Where’s Ian?”

“The police took him, I didn’t ask where, I was more worried about you and your mom,” Jeremy confessed.

“God, I’m such an idiot! Ian… and then I just stood there like a lump-”

“Michael, you were in shock.” Jeremy said softly, “You can’t blame yourself. How could you have seen any of this coming?” The words didn’t seem to soothe Michael in the slightest, but Jeremy wasn’t giving up. He rubbed Michael’s shoulder and offered, “Once the doctors come in, we can go see your mom, okay?”

“Yeah…” Michael agreed quietly.

Standing, Jeremy said, “So I’m going to go tell a nurse you’re awake, okay?”

Though the look Michael gave him begged Jeremy to stay, he said, “Yeah, go ahead.”

Hesitating for a moment, Jeremy said, “I’ll be right back, I promise.” Of course, it took Jeremy some time to find the nurses’ station, and by the time he made it back to the room with a nurse, Michael was having a full-blown panic attack, and a doctor who had been passing was attempting to affix a mask to his face. “What are you doing?!” Jeremy demanded.

“This kid’s having a panic attack, I’m going to sedate him.” The doctor informed Jeremy.

“Michael!” Jeremy grabbed Michael’s hand, “Michael, look at me. I’m right here, and I’m not going anywhere. Deep breaths.” Though the first few breaths were shaky and Michael’s eyes were wild, he did as he was told and slowly but surely, both his breathing and heart rate evened out until he was fast asleep, even without the sedative. Jeremy turned his attention to the doctor then and said, “I was looking for someone to let him know he was awake. He was fine when he woke up.”

The doctor, who seemed annoyed that he had been bothered for no reason, turned the tank off and left the room, but the nurse said gently, “Next time, use this. We usually reserve it for emergencies, but if he’s going to have a panic attack every time you leave his side, it  _ is _ an emergency.” She handed him the nurse call button before taking her leave. Jeremy set the call button down on the nightstand and pulled out his phone, sending a message to his friends in the group chat, which had been blowing up his phone with messages.

GossipGirl: So what’s going on? I heard there were police and ambulances at Michael’s house?

GossipGirl: They’re saying he’s dead.

RichtheBi: What?! No way!

Christiiiine: Maybe we should get the story from them instead of just assuming?

PlayerTwo: Hey guys…

GossipGirl: So?

PlayerTwo: I wasn’t really going to tell you this until everything gets better, but Michael’s ex-boyfriend tried to kill Mrs. Mell, and probably us, too. The Squip kinda saved us all.

RichtheBi: Jeremy…

PlayerTwo: No, I’m still getting rid of it, just… It did. It took over my body to fight Ian off and put pressure on Mrs. Mell’s wounds. Michael went into shock and he’s having panic attacks whenever I leave his side.

Christiiiine: Do you need help looking after him?

PlayerTwo: We’re still in the hospital, and he’s asleep right now, but… I don’t know. I don’t think he would want anyone to know about this, honestly, but since Jenna knows…

GossipGirl: What’s that supposed to mean?

JakeyD: When you know something, so does the rest of the school.

PlayerTwo: Jake said it, not me.

Pinkberry: What about his mom?

PlayerTwo: She’s in Intensive Care, but she’s supposedly doing okay. They won’t tell me anything more than that ‘cause I’m not family and Michael’s not in the best mental state right now.

Christiiiine: And Ian?

PlayerTwo: Police took him, didn’t ask where, Michael and Mrs. Mell are more important.

PlayerTwo: I think he’s waking up.

GossipGirl: Keep us updated!

Jeremy rolled his eyes and put his phone on silent before taking Michael’s hand again. Michael opened his eyes and fixed them on Jeremy, and Jeremy could practically hear him mentally reassuring himself. “Hey, you’re alright.”

“You’re not going to leave again, are you?” Michael questioned.

“No, the nurse gave me a call button.” Jeremy said, pushing it before returning his full attention to Michael, “See? I’m right here.”

“I’m sorry. I don’t know what got into me. I just…”

“Nothing to apologize for. I would have freaked out, too, if I were in your shoes, you know I would have. I probably would have been worse.” Jeremy squeezed Michael’s hand reassuringly. “I’ll be here as long as you need me.”

“So… forever?” Michael prodded, eyes pleading.

Jeremy chuckled, “I might need bathroom breaks.”

The nurse from earlier came in before they could talk anymore and began to examine Michael, taking note of his blood pressure, blood oxygen level, and heart rate. “You seem stable, but I’m not sure you should see your mother just yet. It was a traumatic event and seeing her could send you right back into shock.”

“I’ll be fine,” Michael promised, “As long as Jeremy’s with me. I really need to see her, I just… need to see for myself that she’s okay, then I’ll be fine.”

The nurse was still hesitant, but she said, “You should know that, although she is expected to recover, she might not be the same after this. Mentally and physically. I mean, of course you can expect scar tissue, but beyond that… Her spine was hit- it looks like she was initially in a position that covered her chest and abdomen quite well, but as she lost blood from wounds on her back and neck, he forced her to open up. During this time, there was a cut made in her lower back which hit the spine and caused nerve damage, paralysis from the waist down. We’re going to work with her and see if we can’t get her moving again, but chances of that happening are slim.”

Michael was silent as the nurse spoke, but as she finished, Jeremy squeezed his hand and asked, “You okay?”

“I will be.” Michael assured him softly. “I still want to see her.”

“Alright. We’re going to have to bring you in the wheelchair, just to make sure you don’t collapse again.” The nurse explained, and to Jeremy, she asked, “Would you mind guiding him to the chair?”

“Yeah, sure.” Jeremy replied, hooking his arm under Michael’s shoulders and allowing him to lean against him, leading him to the chair and easing him into it. “I can take him if you want. I’m sure you have other patients you need to get to, just tell me the room number.”

The nurse smiled kindly, but said, “That’s sweet of you, but I’ll need to escort you to ensure the Michael doesn’t fall back into shock.” Jeremy nodded and the three made their way to the elevator, Jeremy pushing Michael’s wheelchair, in an awkward silence. They were directed to the ICU and into Michael’s mother’s room, where she was lying, covered in bloodied bandages.

“Mom?” Michael called out softly.

The woman’s eyes fluttered open and she smiled, “Michael, I’m so glad you’re alright.”

“Mom, I’m so sorry, I-”

“Shhh, don’t apologize. You haven’t done a single thing wrong.” Mrs. Mell assured him, reaching out for his hand with her own, which he took gingerly. She paused a moment before turning her attention to Jeremy and telling him, “Jeremy, I need you to do me a favor. The doctors keep talking about sending me to a long-term rehab facility to try to get me back on my feet. Would you and your father look after Michael for me for a while? Just until I can get in touch with family and see if someone will take him for a while.”

Jeremy smiled and assured her, “It’s already taken care of. Michael can stay with us until you get out if he needs, my dad feels like he owes him a life debt for everything that happened at the play, anyway.”

Mrs. Mell frowned, “You know, I never heard what really happened at the play. I heard that you were all on Ecstasy, but I’m not sure I believe that.”

“You wouldn’t believe us if we told you.” Jeremy said quietly.

“Try me. The Morphine is giving me an open mind.” She said with a soft smile.

Michael was the one to tell her, “Jeremy got this thing called a Squip. It’s a quantum computer in pill form that implants in your brain and tells you how to be cool. That’s why he was avoiding me for so long.”

When Mrs. Mell didn’t seem to have any objections to that, Jeremy provided, “So the Squip told me that I needed to Squip everyone in the school. I was going to do it, I squipped Jenna Rolan, but then when I went to do it to the girl I liked, she said something that made me realize how wrong I was, but it was already too late. Jenna Rolan took the Squips that I had taken out of Rich Goranski’s locker and poured some of them in a beaker of Mountain Dew that was being used for the play. Everyone involved in the play was Squipped, even Mr. Reyes, but then Michael came in with his Mountain Dew Red and… Well, a lot of crazy stuff happened then, but in the end, I got the girl I liked to drink the Mountain Dew Red and, because all of the Squips were connected, they all deactivated.”

“So they’re gone now?” Mrs. Mell asked.

“Not entirely.” Michael said with a sigh, “I had Jeremy drink some Pepsi Blue at the mall yesterday and now his is back. Apparently that initiated an update sequence, but we’re going to get rid of it for good! I think I’ve figured out how, just… Not how to acquire what we need.”

“What do you need?” She questioned.

“Michael thinks the answer is Mountain Dew Aurora.” Jeremy replied.

Mrs. Mell looked at them quizzically, “I’ve never heard of it.”

“Yeah, that’s the point.” Michael said, “It was only ever released in Japan- which is where Squips are from initially- and it was only around during the 80’s, which is when Mountain Dew Red was released and subsequently discontinued. Jeremy’s Squip all but admitted that Squips were behind Mountain Dew Red’s discontinuation, which means they’ve been around a lot longer than we thought, for starters, but also that they’ve got their hands in some pretty high places.”

“It seems like a lot of this relates to Pepsi products for some reason? So… Why don’t you go with whoever else got… uh… Stripped? to the Pepsi Headquarters? It’s only a little over an hour away by car. Maybe they can help you.” Mrs. Mell suggested.

Michael and Jeremy, who had been giggling at Mrs. Mell’s interpretation of Squip, looked to each other as she finished her suggestion, “I hadn’t even thought of that. Fat chance they’d see just two teens, but with everyone from the play?” Michael mused.

“It’s a possibility. We should look into it. Thanks, Mrs. Mell.” Jeremy said, still smiling.

“What a strange dream.” Mrs. Mell murmured before falling asleep, her hand still in Michael’s.

Jeremy laughed softly, “Safe to say she won’t remember this conversation?”

Michael nodded, “Can’t say I wasn’t half expecting that. Still, it’s something to consider. I honestly can’t believe we didn’t think of that.”

The nurse, who had stepped outside to give Michael some privacy with his mother, poked her head back in the room and called, “I’m sorry to interrupt, but visiting hours are over.”

Michael’s eyes went wide with terror, “Jeremy can’t leave.”

“We need to observe you overnight, without him, to make sure you’re alright to go home in the morning.” The nurse said softly.

“She’s right, Michael. Besides, I’m going to have to talk to my dad about you staying with us. I’m sure it won’t be a problem, he pretty much already agreed to it earlier, but I should still run it past him.” Jeremy moved around to the front of the chair and hugged Michael, “I’ll be back as soon as they let me in, I promise. And, uh… I kinda borrowed your Cruiser to get here, so I’ll have a ride, even if my dad’s not up for driving.”

“I don’t mind you borrowing it, but I don’t want you to leave.” Michael pleaded as Jeremy pulled away, “Even if I were fine, you might…”

“I won’t forget about you again, Michael. And even if I did, remember? As long as I’m still in here, we’ll keep fighting.” Jeremy assured him, “I’ll see you in the morning.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, I did warn you. Also I realized after I wrote it how unrealistic my use of commas in text chat was... I mean, I personally (almost) always use commas and proper punctuation when texting, but I realize that these are not only teenagers, but not all of them are the most intelligent of teenagers (*cough Brooke, Chloe, Jenna, Rich, Jake cough*) Anyway, I'm sorry if that bit of unrealistic texting got under your skin, but... Fixing it would have caused intense cringing on my end, SO. You get what you get. Also, I really hope you guys are here for the long term because I plan on taking them into college and possibly beyond?


	7. Heere and Qu-- Bi.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Michael comes "home" to Jeremy's house and there's a surprise waiting for them.

When he arrived at home, Jeremy was greeted by his father eating pizza at the kitchen table, “Where have you been? And where’s Michael?” Mr. Heere questioned.

“Michael’s…” Jeremy hesitated, “His ex-boyfriend was at his house and almost killed his mom. He went into shock, so he’s in the hospital for the night. They said they might be able to release him tomorrow depending on how he does tonight, but they’re not sure… His mom might never be able to walk again, and they’re talking about sending her to a long-term care facility. I told her he could stay here until she got out.”

“Of course, Michael’s welcome to stay here. It’ll be easier on him than having to switch schools.” Mr. Heere agreed, sitting back slightly, “Couldn’t have happened to a worse family. Michael and his mother have already been through so much.”

Jeremy nodded, “Yeah, they really have…” He paused a moment before joining his father at the table, “Hey, dad? What happened to Michael’s dad? We were so young when he died, I don’t even remember.”

“Where is this coming from?” Mr. Heere asked, not understanding.

“Just something Mrs. Mell said made me curious.” Jeremy said with a shrug.

“Well, he joined the military. It was pretty sudden when he did, he didn’t really tell anyone about it, and a few months later he was killed in the line of duty, they delivered a folded flag to Mrs. Mell and that was the end of it. She always blamed herself for it. She said, and I don’t know how much truth there is to it, but she said that it was her fault, that she drove him to join the military because she said she wanted space from him for a while, and he decided that the way to do that was joining the military, that way they would only see each other when he wasn’t on tour. Now like I said, I don’t know how much truth there is to that, so don’t you go run and tell Michael. I don’t know about her relationship with her husband that much, but I know she always treated Michael right and raised him well, don’t say anything to make him question that.” Mr. Heere explained, finishing on a bit of a stern note.

“I won’t tell Michael.” Jeremy agreed, “I just wanted to know what happened. Anyway, I’m going back to the hospital in the morning to see if Michael’s ready to come home, so I’m going to get some sleep.”

Mr. Heere raised a questioning brow and held out a slice of pizza, “Pizza?”

“Not hungry. Plus I had some at the mall earlier with Michael.” Jeremy dismissed before making his way up to his room, undressing, and getting into bed before turning to the Squip, who had been oddly quiet since the incident with Ian. “What do you think Michael’s mom meant? About Michael, I mean.”

“She wants you to look after him. She was entrusting him to you and telling you not to make the same mistakes she did.” The Squip replied.

Jeremy sighed, “I know you’re just a stupid computer and that you probably did it for self-preservation, but… Thank you for helping us today. I would have been just as useless as Michael was if not for you.”

“No, Jeremy, you would have been dead.” The Squip corrected, “But you’re welcome. You should take Michael to see Ian when the shock wears off. Give him some closure. Michael likely doesn’t even remember much beyond the initial image of his mother bleeding out on the couch. The wounds were worse than I allowed you to see. Optic nerve blocking does come in handy for such things.”

Nodding, Jeremy mumbled, “I suspected as much when I saw her in the hospital. She had a lot more bandages than I remember there being wounds.” He closed his eyes and rolled onto his back.

“Get some sleep,” The Squip suggested, but when, over an hour later, Jeremy still wasn’t asleep, he finally asked, “What?”

“I don’t want to have more nightmares about you again.” Jeremy muttered.

“I’ll block them out, just sleep.” The Squip told him, and eventually, Jeremy did fall asleep. Come morning, he was surprised to wake on his own rather than from a nightmare. “Why are you so stunned? I told you I’d divert your dreams to something more pleasant.”

“Right…” Jeremy rubbed his eyes and glanced at his MacBook longingly before showering and getting dressed for the day. On the way to the hospital, he picked up three egg McMuffins, simply because, well, for one, he was hungry, and two, he knew first-hand how god awful hospital food was. When he got up to Michael’s room, he was pleasantly surprised to see Michael actually awake and not totally frantic.

“Oh, my hero!” Michael grinned when he saw the bag Jeremy was carrying, making grabby hands for it.

Jeremy laughed and pulled one of the sandwiches out for Michael, handing it to him, “I take it you’re feeling better then?”

“Mostly. They still want me to see a shrink when I get out, but they were planning on releasing me as soon as someone, meaning you, came to pick me up.” Michael replied before biting into his sandwich.

The two ate in companionable silence before a nurse finally arrived to give Michael the release paperwork. “I’m going to go take this to your mom while you do that, I’ll be back in a minute.” Jeremy said, shaking the bag containing the one remaining McMuffin at Michael, who simply nodded in response.

As it turned out, Mrs. Mell was still asleep when Jeremy got to her room, but he left the McMuffin on the nightstand for her to see when she woke up. When he got back to Michael’s room, Michael told him, “I’m done with my end of the paperwork, but you know how long it takes for them to process it.” Jeremy nodded, and Michael asked, “So, where’s your phone? I was texting you all night, you never responded.”

Jeremy blinked, then recalled that he had muted it, “Oh, right, I put it on mute since the group chat was blowing up, sorry. I was pretty wiped, anyway.” He removed his phone from his pocket. 18 missed messages from PlayerOne. Oops. Delete.

“It’s fine, I figured you probably fell asleep.” Michael replied honestly, “I probably would have been more tired if I hadn’t taken naps after my episodes.”

“Yeah.” Jeremy pulled open the group chat only to find more missed messages.

PlayerOne: Sorry to disappoint, Jenna, definitely still alive.  
GossipGirl: Oh  
Christiiiine: Are you coming home today?  
PlayerOne: Home is a relative term, but yes. I’m going to be crashing at Jeremy’s for the foreseeable future.  
RichtheBi: Glad you two made up.  
PlayerOne: Me too.  
PlayerOne: Jeremy, stop staring at your phone I’m right here.  
PlayerTwo: Sorry! I wanted to catch up on the group.

Jeremy looked up from his phone to see Michael looking back at him, smirking, “What?”

“You’re so predictable sometimes.” Michael said, shaking his head. It was well into the afternoon by the time Michael was finally released, but they stopped by Mrs. Mell’s room to say goodbye on the way out, and she was actually awake this time. “Hey, mom.”

“Michael- oh, Jeremy, did you leave that Egg McMuffin for me? That was so thoughtful, thank you.” Mrs. Mell said with a smile when she saw the boys.

“Yeah, I did. I didn’t know what you wanted on it, but I figured anything would be an improvement over hospital cafeteria food.” Jeremy replied, chuckling.

“What did your father say? Is it alright if Michael stays with you?” She asked, clearly anxious about it.

Jeremy nodded, “He said Michael’s welcome to stay with us as long as you need. He said it’ll be easier on him than having to switch schools, anyway.”

Relaxing back against her pillows, the woman smiled and said, “Good. Take care of him, Jeremy.”

“Mom, I’m right here.” Michael pointed out, though he was amused by their back-and-forth.

“You be good for them, Michael. I know you will, you’re a good boy.” She said softly, taking Michael’s hand, “Come here and give me a kiss.” Michael did as he was told, and both he and Jeremy bid her to get well soon before taking their leave.

When they made it back to Jeremy’s house and stepped inside, Jeremy called, “Dad, we’re back!” When there was no response, he repeated, “Dad? That’s weird. He never leaves the house on weekends.”

An eerie feeling of Deja Vu made Michael shiver and suggest, “Maybe we should go?”

Jeremy took Michael’s hand and squeezed it reassuringly before pulling him along into the kitchen, where both of them immediately relaxed, laughing. There was a banner hanging over the back door that read “Surprise!” And their friends, who had been hiding with Mr. Heere in the family room came rushing out to greet them. “We thought you could use a little pick-me-up!” Christine said with a smile.

“Were you in on this?!” Michael demanded of Jeremy, clutching a hand over his heart, trying to calm himself down.

Laughing, Jeremy shook his head, “I had no idea!”

“Well, I’ll leave you kids to it. Remember what I said, no drugs, no booze, and go home by nine- it’s still a school night.” Mr. Heere reminded before making his way upstairs to his office.

“A little warning might be good next time. My dad doesn’t exactly wear pants on the weekends.” Jeremy informed his friends, rubbing the back of his neck.

Rich laughed, “It’s all good, man! Neither does mine.”

“We’re lucky he wears them at all, ever.” Michael chimed in before gasping at the cans he noticed on the coffee table, “Is that what I think it is?!”

Jake grinned, “You’re a nerd who enjoys expired soda, so we put our heads together and this was the best we could come up with.”

Michael, who had literal tears of joy in his eyes, grabbed one can of each flavor, Mario Fruit Punch, Luigi Berry, Princess Toadstool Cherry, and Yoshi Apple, and hugged the cans to his chest, “ANYONE WHO DRINKS THESE, DO NOT THROW THE CANS OUT! I’ll wash them and display them!”

Jeremy laughed, “I think you guys broke him.”

“Speaking of broken,” Rich cut in, “Have you guys figured out a solution to your little… problem?”

“Not yet,” Jeremy replied with a sigh. He had been sincerely hoping since he discovered the party that they could avoid the topic of Squips altogether, but evidently not. “Michael thinks we’re close, though.”

“How did you two make up, anyway? Christine said the last she saw the two of you was when you were fighting, and then we got that weird text from Michael that he was switching schools.” Jenna questioned.

Jeremy shrugged, saying, “We talked about it and figured out where we stand. I don’t think he’s still changing schools, are you, Michael?”

Michael, snapped out of his daydreaming (he was naming the individual cans of soda) by the sound of his name, said, “Huh? Oh. Yeah, no, I’m not switching. How could I leave a group of friends who loves me enough to get me Super Mario Soda?”

“I can’t stand you sometimes.” Jeremy mocked, throwing his arm over Michael’s shoulders.

“Nah, you love me and you know it.” Michael teased right back, not missing a beat.

“It’s great that you made up, but could you tone down the PDAs?” Rich was joking, obviously, but the two of them immediately pulled apart, looking away from each other with red faces. “I… was joking, but now I have serious questions. What happened to Christine, Jeremy?”

“It was mutual,” Christine supplied, “It’s not a big deal.”

“I- yeah.” Jeremy agreed, “We just weren’t really working.”

“And then things took a turn for the gayer.” Chloe chimed in.

Christine shot Chloe a look, “I told you that in confidence!”

“And I’m confident everyone in this room is aware of what’s happening.” Chloe pointed out.

Michael, who had finally put down the soda cans, started, with a hint of panic in his tone, “It’s not- we’re-”

“Micha. It’s okay.” Jeremy assured him, draping his arm over Michael’s shoulders again, “Everybody already knows you’re gay, and we aren’t going to be able to keep it a secret forever, right?” 

“But they don’t know you’re bi!” Michael protested.

“Well, now we do.” Jenna snorted, holding her phone at a suspicious angle.

“No. You are NOT recording this.” Michael hissed.

Jenna grinned, “I’m not. I’m livestreaming. Kiss for the camera?”

Mostly to freak Michael out, Jeremy gave Michael a kiss on the cheek, causing Michael to push away from him so suddenly, he fell flat on his butt. With the entire room laughing at him, he sat on the floor pouting until Jeremy offered a hand to pull him up. “I can’t believe you. Isn’t this supposed to be a welcome home party for me?”

“Well, now it’s a ‘welcome home Michael/Jeremy’s coming out’ party.” Jenna declared, entirely too proud of herself.

“Wow. Who could have ever seen this coming?” Jake mused.

Staring at Jake in disbelief, Rich accused, “You’re just as oblivious as Jeremy!” Jeremy protested, of course, but Rich continued, “I mean, I’ve known Michael had a crush on Jeremy since before I even got my Squip Freshman year!”

Jeremy gawked at Rich, “No. There’s no WAY you could have noticed! How could you if I didn’t?”

“You were busy looking at Christine.” Michael clarified quietly, “I never really tried to hide it. That’s the thing about you, Jer, you get so focused on one thing that you don’t notice anything happening around you. You kinda suck at multitasking. I can’t count the number of times I’ve saved you from getting hit by cars or running into walls because you were walking while on your phone.” When Jeremy flashed Michael a guilty look, Michael smiled and squeezed his shoulder, “Hey, it’s cool. You might not have noticed I had a huge gay crush on you, but you never neglected me until you got the Squip. You were always there for me, always such a constant in my life, so that’s why, when one day you weren’t, I just… fell apart. That’s why it was such a big deal for me. And I know we haven’t really talked about it, and maybe this isn’t really the time, but it’s the truth.” Inhaling sharply, he attempted to change the subject, “Anyway, while you’re all here-”

“Heh, Heere.” Rich joked, earning a lighthearted punch from Jeremy.

“-Jeremy and I might have come up with a way to get rid of the wintergreen Tic-Tacs in your heads for good.” Michael continued. At this declaration, the atmosphere in the room suddenly got so much more intense, more focused. “I was doing some research, and I could be wrong, but I think the cure is Mountain Dew Aurora. It was developed and discontinued in the 80’s, just like Mountain Dew Red, so it fits the timeline, and on top of that, it was only ever produced in Japan, which is where Squips come from, right? The only problem is, it’s super rare because of that. I wasn’t able to find any on ebay and my usual dealer is… No longer with us. It’s possible there are still some bottles out there, maybe on Japanese ebay, but my mom came up with a better plan. So much of what we know about Squips revolves around Pepsi products… And we live just about an hour away from the Pepsico headquarters in New York. There’s no way they’d see two teenage boys raving about supercomputer pills, but with all of us, we might stand a chance.”

The room was quiet for a time, everyone considering Michael’s proposal, until finally Christine spoke up. “I’m just a bit concerned. If the Squips were able to get those two discontinued, doesn’t that mean they have some pull within Pepsi? We could be walking into a beehive.”

“Well, the only way to get rid of a beehive for good is to kill the queen.” Jeremy pointed out, “Chances are, if there are Squips there, which there probably are, mine will synch with theirs, and if we learned anything from the play, it should be that you shut one down and the rest follow. So if we can get there, have my Squip synch with theirs, and then get me to drink Mountain Dew Aurora-”

“That’s a lot of assumption.” Michael cut in, “I mean, it’s assuming that we’re able to get in, assuming that your Squip is willing and able to synch, assuming that the rest of us don’t get Squipped and/or reactivated in the process, assuming that they just have Aurora laying around, AND assuming that Aurora is even the answer. That’s a lot of ifs.”

Rolling his eyes in frustration, Jeremy demanded, “Then what do you suggest, Michael?! You don’t want to go to Indonesia because it’s too risky. You probably don’t want to go to Japan because that’s just as bad, and now you won’t even go to the Pepsi headquarters? We have to do something!”

Michael flinched at the shouting, “I’m… I’m sorry.” With this, he ran out of the room and upstairs.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, so... I'm sorry this took so long. Honestly, I lost track of where I was going with this and semi fell out of the fandom for a bit but I'm back now. Still don't know what the hell I'm doing with this fic but I'm back and I'm trying at least so there's that. If anyone has ideas I am more than open to suggestions right now. Also? I know this isn't really the place to ask, but I would kill for a boyfs rp right about now. Don't even care who I play, I just need more of them in my life.

**Author's Note:**

> So I know this chapter was short, but I'm having trouble breaking what I've written so far into chapters and I don't want to throw 13K words into one chapter, so here we are.


End file.
